


Never Let Me Go

by JBankai89



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: ABO, Abuse, Aged-Up Character(s), Alpha Otabek, Alpha Viktor, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Collars, Corporal Punishment, Dubious Consent, Dystopian society, Electroconvulsive Therapy, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Gore, HEA, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Prostitution, M/M, Mentions of Abortion, Minor Character Death, Morally Ambiguous Character, Mpreg, Omega Yuri Plisetsky, Omega Yuuri, Omegaverse, Oppression, PTSD, Paddling, Physical Abuse, Platonic Plinami, Platonic YuYuu, Referenced Past Non-Consensual Drug Use, Rich Otabek, Self-Inflicted Violence (NOT self-harm), Sensory Deprivation, Slavery, Slavery Elements, Stockholm Syndrome, Violence, corrupt government, dom/sub elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-07
Updated: 2018-05-10
Packaged: 2018-12-12 11:20:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 41
Words: 159,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11736006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JBankai89/pseuds/JBankai89
Summary: “I know you probably wish I'd give up and take you back to the Omega House. I haven't marked you as mine yet, there's still time, after all,” he murmured, his whisper so low and laced with warning that Yuri could not suppress his shiver of fear. “But I won't. The idea of another alpha touching you is completely abhorrent to me. I will wait for you to be ready, Yuri, but I will not give up on you.”When eighteen-year-old Yuri is claimed by the alpha Otabek Altin and whisked away to his palatial estate, he is convinced that his life is over.What Yuri does not realize, is that it has only just begun.





	1. Prologue - End of the Line

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Way different than my last Otayuri ABO fic, and darker. Starts out with very dubious consent. Mind the tags if you're easily offended by moral ambiguity, dubcon, mpreg, or mild gore and oppressive people in places of power. I actually hate ageing up characters like this, but it was necessary for this story. 100% AU, not canon-compliant at all. 
> 
> I'll be posting this every Monday until part one is totally up, which is when I will take a short break to write part 2. Part 1 is 20 chapters, so you guys won't need to worry about not getting updates until like...the end of December. Next update will be August 14th.

_A fair slim boy not made for this world's pain,_

_With hair of gold thick clustering round his ears,_

_And longing eyes half-veil'd for foolish tears_

_Like bluest water seen through mists of rain;_

_Pale cheeks whereon no kiss hath left its stain,_

_Red under-lip drawn in for fear of Love,_

_And white throat whiter than the breast of dove –_

_Alas! alas! it all should be in vain._

_Behind, wide fields, and reapers all a-row_

_In heat and labour toiling wearily,_

_To no sweet sound of laughter or of lute._

_The sun is shooting wide its crimson glow,_

_Still the boy dreams: nor knows that night is nigh,_

_And in the night-time no man gathers fruit._

_Wasted Days – Oscar Wilde (1877)_

 

Part I – The Omega's Fate

 

Prologue – End of the Line

 

Yuri fell. His knees bit into the icy pavement and his jeans tore on impact, splitting the skin beneath.

He could hear yelling behind him, sharp whoops that chilled his blood and reminded him of one single, solitary fact—

They were _enjoying_ this.

Yuri staggered to his feet, and took off running again.

He had to get away; he could not let himself be captured—to be captured would lead to a fate worse than death.

He couldn't—he _wouldn't_ allow that to happen to him.

Not again.

 

Yuri's heart was in his throat, and his chest ached as though someone had stuck a knife between his ribs. He massaged the area, but did not allow himself to stop.

They were close—too close.

He could hear their jeering calls and hoots of laughter gaining on him, and he knew that one wrong move— _anything_ that slowed him down would be met with a fate worse than death.

He skidded to an abrupt halt just outside a darkened alleyway, and he spotted a possible means of escape from this hell.

The omega darted down the dark, narrow expanse, and he clambered up the fire escape. His endeavour was not silent, his footsteps echoed in the night as he ascended. His bid for freedom did not go unnoticed, and with another shout from his pursuers, he knew that he'd been spotted. Yuri broke into a run and thundered up the rickety staircase, and it was only by sheer dumb luck that he did not fall on the slippery metal, dampened by the rain.

Yuri made it to the roof, but still, he did not stop.

He spotted a building next to the one he currently stood upon, with barely two feet of space between them—but a six storey drop below.

Yuri could hear the shouts growing in volume, and his fear amplified as he ran for the next building, and jumped.

His feet slammed against the next roof over, just as his pursuers had cleared the stairs and caught sight of him. They cried out, but they were too far away for Yuri to clearly discern the words.

The omega began to run again, panting hard, and cleared the next roof.

And the next.

Despite Yuri's best efforts, he could still hear them gaining on him. Pain suddenly lanced through his back, and his knees buckled as he fell. Another mocking laugh met his ears as he forced himself to his feet, and he leapt for the next building.

Yuri staggered again, and he heard another voice echo through the night. It was a high, cruel cackle, and Yuri's vision swam as his panic gave way to rage.

These sick fucks were _revelling_ in his fear.

Yuri kept running.

He couldn't stop.

If he did, his life would be over.

Yuri leapt over another very narrow alleyway and onto the next roof, and his knockoff converse skidded sharply in the gravel.

Yuri's limbs, weakened from the punishing pace that he had had to set for himself, could not handle the abrupt change in movement, and he tumbled to the ground in a heap.

“He's down! We got him now, boys!” a voice cried just as Yuri got up, his teeth clenched as his muscles continued to shake in protest.

More cruel laughter filled the night air, and Yuri struggled to stay on his feet. With a curse, he fell to his knees, but immediately tried to stand back up. His limbs would no cooperate, and he fell again.

 _No, no...this can't be it,_ Yuri thought desperately, _I can't let them take me..._

The thought pushed Yuri to stand, and he staggered on weak limbs to the edge of the roof. It was high—very high. If he fell, he knew that he'd never survive the fall, and the next building was easily six feet away—too far to jump.

Heavy footsteps crunched on the gravel.

Yuri whirled around to see the three beefy men who had been chasing him, all of them regarding him with wicked grins, they all brandishing taser guns or noose traps—narrow lassos on the end of long poles, not unlike the tools used to wrangle alligators and crocodiles.

“End of the line, omega.”

Yuri backed up, and his aching calf muscles brushed the brick barricade that surrounded the edges of the roof. The three men stepped closer.

“N-No...please...” Yuri gasped out, his eyes darting from one man to the next as he looked for an escape route, but saw none. He was trapped.

“Nowhere to run!” sing-songed one of the men, and he took a step closer. Yuri pressed his legs more securely against the bricks.

“C'mon, love,” crooned one of the men with a cockney accent, “we don't have to do this the hard way. Just come with us, nice and easy, and we won't have to hurt you.”

“Like hell I will,” Yuri spat, “I'm not going back to one of those...those... _slave auctions_.”

“You're in heat, you've got to come with us, it's for your own good,” said one of the others, and the false kindness in his tone made Yuri feel positively sick to his stomach.

“No fucking way,” Yuri snarled, “I'd sooner die.”

To make his point, he spun and vaulted over the bricks.

Except, Yuri had not taken into account his sheer exhaustion, and how much that would slow him down.

One of the lassos closed over his throat before he'd completely cleared the bricks, followed by a second. He barely had time to register their presence around his neck before he was yanked backward, and he sprawled at the feet of pursuers.

“Gotcha,” the one with the taser said nastily, then as the man jabbed the weapon into the omega's ribs, Yuri's world dissolved into blinding pain.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: As stated on my last OY fic, prologues are generally fairly short, and the next chapter will definitely be longer—I promise.


	2. The Omega House

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hey guys, thank you so much for the comments, kudos, and bookmarks on the Prologue! I'm glad to see this little story has garnered some interest :) Here's the first real chapter, please enjoy it. Next update will be August 21st. Italic segments in this chapter are flashbacks.

Chapter One – The Omega House

 

“Move, Omega.”

Yuri glared at his bare feet as he was nudged, pushed, and shoved down the narrow passageway. Any attempt to slow his pace was met with another sharp push, and he'd stumble over his own feet when he tried to fight against it. Despite his best efforts, they came all to soon upon an arch made of marble, and Yuri was forced into the feared Viewing Room.

He was the last of a line of ten omegas to be seen that day, and the prospect left Yuri feeling sick with fright. After being on the run for two whole years, the Omega House had finally caught up with him, and despite that fact that he knew exactly what was coming, it left him feeling nowhere near prepared to face it.

The omegas stood in a line, like a heads of cattle to be viewed by a prospective alpha. Yuri knew exactly what would happen; he'd just barely managed to avoid it up to now. The alphas would come, one by one, then they would be selected and taken away to be bred like an animal.

Yuri shuddered.

“Final checks,” someone called out, and Yuri let out a low growl of disgust as a thickset, beefy man grabbed his jaw roughly in his hand and forced his gaze up, down, left, and right as he inspected him for any flaws that might impede a good sale. Yuri's long hair was pushed away from his face and adjusted, his clothes were smoothed out, and his face was checked for blemishes.

It was _humiliating._

The man finally let him go and continued down the line, repeating the process with every omega after him. They all looked as scared as Yuri felt, which was a small comfort, after everything. He glanced over at the other omegas, and his eyes fell on the man next to him. He was determinedly looking forward, and acted as though he could see no one else. Perhaps he couldn't; his fear seemed to be blinding him to everything else in the room.

Still, Yuri was quietly grateful for this man, Yuuri Katsuki. If it wasn't for him, he wasn't sure he would have made it through these last few days.

 

~*~

 

_When Yuri woke, he could feel that he was lying on something soft._

_He wouldn't peg whatever it was as something perfectly comfortable—but it was marginally nicer than sleeping on concrete, which was a step in the right direction, at least._

“ _Guys, he's waking up!”_

_The unfamiliar voice jolted Yuri to attention, and he sat up straight in bed. He immediately regretted it as his vision began to swim, and he only had enough time to take in the sight of the dimly lit room and the three other figures that occupied it before he buried his face in his hands with a soft groan._

_A soft depression on the cot drew Yuri's attention, and he cracked his eyes open just enough to see an older man with black hair and blue horn-rimmed glasses holding out a glass of water to him._

“ _Drink, it'll help,” he said kindly, and still too groggy to refuse, Yuri did as he was told. The scent of unmated omegas surrounded him, and it was both unnerving and calming all at once. That small reassurance that he was amongst his own made it easier to believe that this man wouldn't hurt him._

“ _Where am I?” Yuri rasped, and sipped the water. Slowly, the room he was in came into sharper focus, and his eyes darted around to take in the minor details of the space._

_It was a room roughly twenty to twenty five square feet in size, with dark wooden panelling upon the walls, and it was dimly lit by reading lamps on four bedside tables. The four cots that were crammed into the little room were covered with thin mattresses and even thinner sheets._

_The room looked to Yuri more like a hostel or motel room, albeit with better upkeep. The space carried no hallmarks of personalization—no luggage, no books, CDs, or DVDs. Yuri didn't expect to see any of these things to begin with; omegas were instructed to leave behind all their personal items when they were taken from their families to an Omega House—even their own clothes._

_The three young men that sat in the room with him were all wearing the same thing—the uniform of this particular household. Thin black drawstring pants, similar to hospital scrubs in design, but they seemed to be made of a richer, more comfortable material. Paired with them were long-sleeved black wraparound tops, tied closed with narrow ribbon at the waist. It exposed their throats and flat chests with its V-neck design, and when Yuri dared to glance down at himself, he saw that he was wearing exactly the same thing._

_The small details of the room, the uniforms, and the presence of the three other omegas in the room with him all pointed to one possible place that he could be, and when the brunet spoke, Yuri felt no surprise whatsoever._

“ _You're in an Omega House,” he said, and Yuri's stomach turned over unpleasantly._

“ _I was afraid you'd say that,” Yuri replied, his voice barely above a soft mumble._

 

~*~

 

“Presenting, Alpha Viktor Nikiforov.”

Yuri jerked out of his memories as the alpha called Viktor Nikiforov stepped through a door in the far right corner of the room. Immediately, Yuri was nearly knocked off his feet by the reek of alpha that came with his appearance.

Despite his silver hair, Viktor looked quite young. He was perhaps in his late twenties at most, and he crossed into the room dressed in a very expensive-looking suit. He was all smiles as he cheerfully chatted with the House owner, and even stopped to greet the guards that stood at either end of the lineup.

“I never thought I'd get you in here,” Yakov remarked gruffly, “you've always been so career-oriented.”

“Yes, well, my parents are beginning to complain that I need to settle down,” Viktor explained in a light tone, “so maybe it's time I got myself a nice omega to take to bed with me. I think it's just the thing I need to stop them nagging.”

“Well, you've certainly come to the right place,” Yakov continued as he held out an inviting arm and led Viktor over to the line of waiting omegas. “Our Omega House is the best in the city. We round them up and keep them safe and off the streets until an appropriate alpha makes a bid on one of them.”

_Sanctioned slavery, more like,_ Yuri thought acidly, and curled his hands into fists. He glared at the ground as the footsteps got closer, and he tensed his leg muscles to keep his temptation to run under control.

Even if he tried, it wasn't like he'd get very far.

Viktor began to walk down the line of omegas, his thumb and forefinger cradling his chin as he went. Occasionally he would stop and inspect an omega; the omega in question would tense and drop their gaze to the ground. Viktor only inspected the omegas with his eyes, and remarkably, he never touched any of the ones he observed before moving on.

 

As Viktor got closer to the end of the line, Yuri's panic began to mount as he fidgeted nervously. He _didn't_ want to be chosen. He wanted to escape this lineup and this house, and try to find his way back to his grandfather. The idea of being taken by this silver-haired man filled Yuri with a sick sort of bubbling fear, like acid in his stomach.

Thankfully—for him, at least—Viktor stopped dead in his tracks before he got to him—directly in front of Yuuri.

Yuuri's breath caught, and his gaze shot up to Viktor, who was regarding him with a soft smile. Yuuri, in contrast, looked positively terrified.

Yuri watched as Viktor reached for the omega, and very gently pulled Yuuri's glasses from his face, then traced the outline of his cheek with a gloved hand. Yuuri flinched, but did not pull away. His hand dropped to Yuuri's chin, and Viktor tilted his head up, forcing Yuuri to meet the alpha's gaze.

“What's your name?” Viktor asked gently, but despite the soft tone with which he spoke, Yuuri's look of terror did not fade.

“K-Katsuki,” he answered shakily, “Katsuki Yuuri.”

“And what do you dream of, Katsuki Yuuri?” Viktor asked, so softly that Yuri almost didn't catch it. As he posed the question, he began to stroke Yuuri's cheek gently, and Yuri saw his companion's expression shift from fear to confusion.

“I beg your pardon?”

“When you close your eyes,” Viktor elaborated, “what do you dream of?”

Yuuri looked around, away from the alpha that was so close to him, and he caught Yuri's eye. Yuri offered him a small shrug to explain that he, too, had no idea what the alpha was talking about. Yuuri shifted his gaze back to Viktor.

“I don't have dreams,” Yuuri replied in a similar soft tone to Viktor's, “only nightmares.”

Viktor released his chin, wrapped an arm around his waist, and pulled Yuuri flush against his side. Yuri just barely caught Viktor's murmur of, “ _not anymore,_ ” as he turned back to Yakov.

“I want this one.”

Dead silence followed the proclamation, and at the same time, all the colour seemed to drain from Yuuri's face.

“An excellent choice, Mr Nikiforov,” said Yakov in his usual gruff tone of voice. “If you'll come with me, we'll get all the paperwork in order and have your omega made ready for transport...”

Yuuri glanced back as he was led away by Viktor. His eyes were wide, and Yuri did not miss the look of utter terror upon his face. Yuri knew that he couldn't help his fellow omega, he couldn't free him—he was powerless.

Instead, he offered Yuuri a small nod of solidarity, and he smiled weakly at the blond just as he disappeared out the door.

 

~*~

 

“ _This House isn't so bad,” piped up one of the younger omegas in the room. He looked barely older than sixteen, and his gold and red hair made him look even more youthful. Yuri glared at him._

“Sure,” _he replied snidely. “Because lifelong servitude, first to the House Master, then to whatever alpha claims us isn't_ so _bad_.”

“ _Leave Minami alone,” ordered the other omega in the room; this one looked closer to Yuri's age, and his hair was a soft brown. He was regarding Yuri with a disapproving frown, and even at a distance, he could see the hopeful—_ delusional _—glint in his eye. “At least we're safe here. This is a higher-end House, whoever claims us will be rich and they're supposed to be pretty balanced—mentally, I mean. Yakov insists on psych evaluations for all the prospective alphas that come here.”_

“ _Small comfort,” Yuri snorted, “so I only need to worry about whether I'll be thrashed with the whip made of high-quality leather, or the mahogany cane across my ass cheeks, or—”_

“ _Would you_ stop _?” the other young omega demanded, but Yuri ignored him._

“ _I'm being realistic,” Yuri snapped, and glared from one face to another. The three omegas appeared alarmed by his attitude, and Yuri couldn't help but wonder just_ how _these omegas had come to be so pathetically cowed. Where was their fight? Where was their will to live?_

“ _I've never met_ any _alpha you'd call_ good _,” he continued, “they all want_ one _thing from us, and the second they have the opportunity, they'll bend you over without a shard of remorse and fuck a kid into you.”_

“Everyone _stop!” cried the older omega, and lifted his arms above his head. The two younger ones immediately snapped their mouths shut as they gazed up at him in shock. Yuri shifted his gaze to the older omega, and couldn't help but note how he seemed to be shaking a bit. It looked like he really,_ really _hated being the centre of attention like this._

“ _But, Yuuri—” protested the brunet, but Yuuri cut him off quickly._

“No _, Guang-Hong. He's new, he's afraid, and this is not the ideal life you want to think of it as, and you know it. Everyone is stressed because of the lineup in a few days, so just...stop attacking each other,_ please _._ ”

That _certainly brought Yuri's antagonistic tendencies to a screeching halt._

“ _Lineup?” he asked nervously, “so soon?”_

“ _Do you think any of us will be chosen, Yuuri?” the one called Minami asked timidly, and Yuuri shrugged his shoulders._

“ _I don't know, Minami-kun,” he answered honestly, “I've spent a long time trying to_ not _get chosen, but now that our meals and exercise and hygiene is all regimented, I can't do that anymore. I'm pretty sure I'll be gone.”_

“ _Maybe the alpha who chooses you will be some handsome prince and you'll ride off into the sunset on a white horse...” Minami began, and Yuri rolled his eyes as he interrupted._

“ _What the hell kind of drugstore romance novel crap have you been cramming into your brain?” he demanded, and Minami winced. “The alphas come in, and pick us out like clothes off a rack. We have no say, no fucking_ voice. _We're their possessions—their brood mares. This country does not see omegas as humans deserving of respect, if we can't breed or fuck, we're useless; we may as well be dead.”_

“ _Yurio's right,” Yuuri said, and opened his mouth to say more, but Yuri cut him off with an indignant sputter._

“Yurio?”

“ _That's what it says on your nameplate,” Yuuri explained, his eyebrows high on his forehead, clearly perplexed by Yuri's reaction. He pointed to the piece of paper taped to his nightstand; Yuri glanced towards it and saw that it read,_ Yurio Plisetsky, 18.

“ _Well, that's not my name—it's_ Yuri.”

“ _They might've changed it to tell you two apart,” Guang-Hong filled in, “they did that back when they had three Dimitris here.”_

“ _Anyway,” Yuuri continued, “Yurio isn't wrong. It's really unnerving to be touched and manhandled by men you don't know, and you have no say whatsoever in how they touch you. I've seen more than a few alphas practically molest an omega in the viewing room, and no one stopped them.”_

“What _?_ ” _Guang-Hong whispered, and stared wide-eyed at Yuuri._

“ _That omega,” Yuuri continued, “he cried all night; he was a mess. So don't kid yourselves, this isn't a fairy tale.”_

_An unsettling silence fell over the little room, and Yuri pulled his legs up against his chest._

“ _How soon?” he asked, and the others immediately relaxed at his less-than-venomous tone of voice. Yuuri winced._

“ _Four days.”_

~*~

 

“Presenting, Alpha Otabek Altin.”

Yuri glanced up at the latest alpha to enter the room, and felt a sick sort of icy feeling settle into his stomach. Nearly all the omegas were gone, and Yuri couldn't fathom how he'd managed to tune that out so effectively. He could see that Guang-Hong and Minami were missing, and privately he hoped that whoever took them would give them the airy-fairy Happily Ever After they'd been hoping for.

Though the realist in him seriously doubted it.

Yuri glared at this new alpha, in his overpriced leather jacket and designer jeans. His wealth was as blatant as his status as an alpha, and instead of this endearing Yuri to him, it made his nerves even worse.

He recoiled a little.

Unlike Viktor, this _Otabek Altin_ seemed to be a man of few words, and did not exchange any pleasantries with Yakov as he trolled the line of remaining omegas. It did not take him very long to focus his eyes on Yuri, and Yuri could feel bile rising in his throat as the alpha stepped up to him. Yuri tried to step back again, but a strong hand at his hip stopped him from going very far. He glared at Otabek, while Otabek cocked an eyebrow at him.

“You have fire still, they haven't managed to beat it out of you,” Otabek observed, and Yuri shuddered in a confusing mixture of pleasure and revulsion as his hand trailed from his hip, up his waist, and across his ribs. He stopped when he reached the side of Yuri's throat, and the alpha brushed his fingers over the noose bruises, just barely concealed by the tacky, uncomfortable foundation that had been applied there. “How long have you been here?”

“Too long,” Yuri growled, and Otabek arched an eyebrow at him. The warm hand against Yuri's throat was making him uncomfortable, but he knew better than to _ask_ an alpha to not touch him—they were the proverbial top dogs, and omegas were little more than their toys.

Instead, he did something phenomenally stupid and risky.

Yuri knocked his hand away.

He continued to glare as Otabek's eyebrows shot up, and he gazed at Yuri in surprise and wonder. Two of the guards moved as though to restrain him, but Otabek lifted a hand to stop them. They froze, and returned to their posts immediately.

Otabek began to touch him again. He cradled Yuri's chin and tilted his head up, forcing him to lock eyes with the alpha, while the other hand rested against Yuri's hip uncomfortably.

“You didn't answer my question,” Otabek said simply, “how long have you been here?”

“Four days.” Yuri spat the words like a curse, his eyes still narrowed at the taller man.

“All omegas are removed from the custody of their families at the age of sixteen and placed in an Omega House to be protected until they are selected by an alpha for mating,” Otabek rattled off, as though Yuri was wholly unaware of all this. “How is it that you've only been here _four_ days? You look older than sixteen.”

“That's none of your business,” Yuri growled, and narrowed his eyes at the alpha, but Otabek did not back down.

“Answer the question.”

“No.”

Otabek looked as though he was going to argue, and Yuri did see a flash of frustration in the alpha's eyes for the briefest of moments. An instant later it was gone, and Otabek's mouth twitched into a small smirk. He brushed his thumb across Yuri's bottom lip, and Yuri shuddered at the intimate touch. Otabek leant in close, so close that Yuri could feel his body heat and smell his cologne. When he spoke, he could feel the alpha's breath tickle across his cheek, and he shuddered as the horrifying words bled into his mind.

“You have so much fire, little one,” he murmured, softly enough that it was unlikely that Yakov or the guards would overhear him. At the same time, the hand at Yuri's hip moved to caress his abdomen. Yuri instinctively sucked in his stomach at the tickling sensation. “You are fierce and beautiful. Imagining you heavy with our child is so titillating, so... _erotic..._ ”

Otabek breathed the words, his voice very close to a moan, and Yuri felt himself blanch at everything that Otabek was implying. Yuri opened his mouth to protest, but his speech was startled from him when he felt the tip of a tongue trace the shell of his ear. Yuri's fight seemed to instantaneously die, and he whimpered softly.

“ _But_ ,” Otabek continued in the same soft whisper, and pressed his palm flat against Yuri's abdomen. “you are underweight. I don't even need to see your medical records to know that. I'll need to fatten you up first...”

“What?” Yuri asked weakly, but a moment later he understood, just as Otabek's arm wrapped around his waist, and he pulled Yuri tightly against his side.

“I want him.”

Three simple words, and Yuri Plisetsky's fate was sealed.

 


	3. Property

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hey guys, thanks again for the amazing response on this fic! It's so exciting to see the enthusiasm in the comments. I'm posting this a day early because I no has internet at home and it's supposed to be super gross outside tomorrow, so I want an excuse to not go outside. Next update will be Monday as usual, August 28th.

Chapter Two – Property

 

At first, Yuri had been too shell-shocked by the realization of his inescapable fate to do more than allow himself to be dragged along by the alpha, Otabek, like some sort of new toy.

They stopped in an office Yuri had never been inside before, and watched helplessly as the House signed over property rights to Otabek. Yuri had to swallow a fresh wave of misery as he heard that term— _property rights._

He'd known it, of course, but to hear it made it more real, and Yuri was once more reminded of how these people saw him—as an object; a commodity, not a person.

 

Following the act of signing the contract, Otabek was gifted with a thick folder of Yuri's entire medical and psychological history, along with school records, as well as testimonies from his family—in this case, his grandfather—detailing his hobbies, preferred foods, favourite kinds of music, movies, and books—virtually everything a prospective mate would need to ensure that their omega lived a happy and comfortable life.

_Fat chance of that,_ Yuri thought as he glared at the folder in Otabek's hands, _you could give me pirozki for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and I'd still be fucking miserable._

It was only when Yuri had been shunted into an examination room for a final medical checkup did it register what was happening, and he began to fight.

“Please, Yuri, just relax so I can examine you!” protested the doctor while he tried to urge him over to the examination table.

“No fucking way,” he snarled, “let me _go!_ ” Yuri threw his head back, _hard_ , and he felt a twinge as the back of his skull collided with the older man's nose. He let Yuri go with a grunt of pain, and one of the nurses made a grab for him as he tried to bolt from the room.

They both fell to the linoleum floor hard, and all the air rushed out of Yuri's lungs as the nurse sat on top of him and pinned his arms at his back.

“We need some help in here, please!” she called while Yuri continued to thrash and buck, trying desperately to get free. He _wouldn't_ go with this alpha who had claimed him as easily as one would choose a piece of furniture for a room. He _wasn't_ property, and he wasn't about to let this alpha drag him to his home and knock him up the first chance he got.

The doors burst open while Yuri was still pinned down, and on the other side of it were two unnervingly muscular orderlies, both of whom were brandishing capped syringes which contained some sort of pale yellow liquid.

Yuri panicked, and in a momentary surge of adrenaline he managed to throw off the nurse, jumped to his feet, and made a mad dash for the door. It took barely three seconds for one of the men to grab him, and he was pinned spreadeagle to the examination table.

“No, _no!_ ” Yuri screamed as he continued to thrash against the men, but it made no difference as he felt a tiny pinprick against his inner elbow before a heavy drowsiness overwhelmed him, and he blacked out.

 

~*~

 

When Yuri next woke, he felt warm and comfortable, albeit a little groggy. He could feel that he was lying on some sort of sofa, its soft cushions moulding to his shape like it was made for him. The suede felt wonderfully soft beneath him, and his cheek was pressed against some sort of jean pillow. Yuri could feel someone's fingers idly running through his hair; he felt relaxed, and safe. He had no idea how he had gotten there, but he could not find it in him to care very much. He felt light, and calm, like the rest of the world had fallen away.

That was, until the pillow _twitched_ , and Yuri realized that it was not a pillow that he was laying on, but someone's _thigh_.

Yuri's eyes snapped open, and he lurched away from Otabek with an exaggerated gasp, then shot to the opposite end of the sofa.

His eyes darted left and right, and his head whipped around to take in all the details of the space he was in, his heart in his throat. Yuri noted that he seemed to be in some sort of expansive living room, filled with top-of-the-range electronics and expensive-looking furniture. On the coffee table before them was a carafe of some sort of amber liquid, with a glass of the stuff sitting nearest to Otabek.

The alpha himself had not moved, but watched Yuri's reaction silently, apparently unsurprised by his overt display of alarm at waking up in such a way. Yuri clenched his teeth as he tried to get a handle on his raging emotions, but despite his best efforts, he couldn't completely mask the fear that Otabek had brought to the surface of his mind—and he _hated_ him for it.

“Welcome back,” Otabek said at last, and reached for his drink. He sipped it, the ice in the glass clinking softly, but it sounded almost deafening in the silence of the room. He arched a brow at Yuri while his eyes unabashedly roamed over his form, and Yuri shivered involuntarily. He crossed his arms across his chest, but he didn't like how he still felt very much exposed. “That tranquilizer that they gave you was very strong,” he continued, “give yourself a minute, you might feel a little dizzy.”

“Where am I?” Yuri demanded, while he ignored Otabek's statements. The alpha did not react immediately, but continued to stare at Yuri with clear, unabashed desire in his eyes.

Yuri felt sick.

“My home,” Otabek replied at last, his tone mild and gave away nothing of his internal feeling towards Yuri's attitude one way or the other. “And yours now, too.”

Yuri's gaze darkened.

“This is _not_ my home,” he growled, “it's my prison.”

Yuri had expected anger following his statement, or at the very least some form of annoyance. Instead he was given a shock when Otabek started to chuckle. It was a warm sound, and Yuri's brow furrowed suspiciously.

“Yakov was right,” Otabek said, “you really _are_ a piece of work.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Yuri demanded, while Otabek coolly took another sip of his drink, his eyes never leaving the omega.

“It means you're a flight risk, and you're a fighter until the very end,” Otabek said simply, and shrugged. “I can respect that attitude, omegas have a fairly shitty lot in life.”

“Your sympathy for my situation is kind of fucked up, given that you just bought me like a sofa or something,” Yuri pointed out, and Otabek shrugged again.

“I wanted you,” he said simply, “is that so bad?”

“Yes,” Yuri snapped, and narrowed his eyes into a glare. “People shouldn't belong to other people.”

“And yet because of me you get to live in luxury for the rest of your life,” Otabek replied, and sipped his drink.

“As your brood mare.”

 

“As my _mate_ , my partner,” Otabek countered, and his mouth twitched into a frown. “Just because I want kids from you—heirs to my name—it doesn't mean I plan on doing it right away. I'm not a rapist.”

Somehow, Yuri doubted that.

 

They fell into an uncomfortable silence, with Otabek watching Yuri like he was some sort of new curiosity of his. His newest _toy_.

Yuri shivered.

Yuri stared back at the alpha with a brazen look in his eye, his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed. Otabek did nothing more than stare at him, but that changed the moment Otabek finished his drink.

He got up from the sofa, brushed his hands over his torso to smooth out his clothes, then strode over to the end where Yuri sat curled up, and held out a hand to him.

“Come with me,” he said in the same even tone, and Yuri glared at him.

“No.”

“Please don't make me force you,” Otabek replied with a soft, frustrated sigh, “I don't want to have to hurt you.”

_Do your worst,_ Yuri thought fiercely. He had a feeling that tempting Fate by voicing such a thing might be a bad idea, and thus remained still and silent, though he continued to glare up at his keeper.

“Please?” Otabek tried again, though his tone of voice did not sound very pleading, and it was closer to a level of voice one might use when commanding a petulant child to do something that they were refusing to do.

Yuri continued to glare at him, and remained stationary upon the sofa.

Otabek heaved another sigh, though this time he sounded frustrated and resigned as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. He tapped at the screen a few times before he put it to his ear, then after a moment, began to speak.

“Hey, yeah,” Otabek said in that same bland tone to whomever was on the other end of the line, “...no, he's not moving. Can we do it here, in the East Wing? ... Yeah, that'd probably be a good idea. Ask Davies to come too, we'll probably need him. Thanks.”

Otabek hung up the phone and pocketed it, then refocused his gaze on Yuri. Yuri's eyes were narrowed suspiciously, for this time Otabek did not carry the blank, neutral look he'd carried so often since they'd met. This time, he looked almost ashamed, and Yuri had a feeling that whatever had caused the look would not be something enjoyable for the omega.

Yuri watched as Otabek moved closer to the sofa, and he inched back nervously as Otabek crouched down. He was now eye-level with Yuri, and the intense look he offered the omega did not comfort him at all.

“What...what was that about?” Yuri asked, his voice shaking a little as he eyed the alpha suspiciously. Otabek did not answer right away, and instead reached out to touch Yuri. Immediately, Yuri lurched away from Otabek's hand as though he'd been burned. Otabek curled his hand into a fist, and allowed it to drop to his side.

“You need to be fitted with a microchip and the temporary collar,” he explained in a dull, emotionless tone of voice, “You wouldn't come with me to the makeshift infirmary I have set up for you, so they're coming here to do the procedure,”

Yuri felt as though he was going to be sick as the horrifying words echoed in his ears.

 

_Collar_.

 

_Microchip._

 

“No...” Yuri whispered, and he pressed himself back harder into the sofa. Otabek ignored his discomfort this time as he reached out to stroke his hair lightly. Yuri winced as though Otabek had raised his hand to him, and blatantly ignored Yuri's obvious unease while he continued to finger his locks of hair like he was a pet.

_I may as well be,_ Yuri thought miserably, _he's practically chaining me up like a fucking dog._ Yuri clenched his eyes shut when they began to burn, and he lurched his head away from the light, almost comforting touches.

He _refused_ to find solace in the hands of his jailer.

“You're a flight risk,” Otabek explained simply, his tone so bland he may as well have been explaining how night becomes day to a small child. “It's for your own good that you're fitted with both things. The collar is only temporary, and it will keep you on the grounds of the house, just until you get comfortable here and I don't need to worry as obsessively that you'll run off. This house is surrounded by hundreds of miles of deep woods, I'd never be able to find you and get you back home safely if you escaped.”

“I can't...this can't... _no..._ ” Yuri hissed as panic replaced his anguish. He jumped up, vaulting over the back of the sofa while he ignored Otabek's sudden cry of shock. In a blind panic, Yuri raced for the first door that he saw, though in retrospect Yuri figured that he should have known something was up when the alpha did not chase him, but in his overwhelming fear, he couldn't find it in himself to care.

When he'd made it to the door, he understood immediately why Otabek had not sprung into action.

Just as Yuri reached it, his fingers mere inches from the doorknob, it swung open to reveal a big, muscular man on the other side. Yuri dug his heels into the hardwood in an attempt to stop, but he was moving far too fast, and he careened into the man and fell in a heap at his feet.

“Looks like we got here just in time, Mr Altin,” the man observed in an amused, almost jovial tone of voice as he shunted Yuri farther back into the room, while a squat and balding man shuffled in behind him.

“Yes, thank you, Davies,” Otabek said smoothly, but did not approach as Yuri stood on shaky legs, and moved to try and bolt around the two newcomers while they exchanged pleasantries, but clearly this man, Davies, was not one easily fooled.

“Whoa! Hey, little omega, where do you think you're going?” he grabbed Yuri's forearm and dragged him back, while the squat man shut the door behind him as Yuri began to struggle.

“Let me go!” Yuri snarled as he fought against Davies, “ _let me go!_ ”

“Better do this quickly,” the squat man said, as though completely oblivious to the fight Yuri was putting up. He opened the medical bag he'd brought with him and fished out a strange-looking syringe. It had an alarmingly wide needle affixed to the end of it, and contained some sort of thin clear serum. Floating in the centre was a tiny, blinking electronic device, no bigger than a vitamin capsule— _the microchip._

“No, _no!_ ” Yuri cried as he continued to fight, fearful tears pricking his eyes as he thrashed about, completely uncaring what sort of damage he might be doing to his own body in the process; he _needed_ to get out.

When the doctor began to approach him with the needle, Yuri swung his legs forward, and by a small stroke of luck, his foot made contact with the syringe. The doctor yelped in surprise as it flew through the air, tumbling over itself like a badly thrown American football, and it shattered against the floor.

“Mr Altin! Please, control your omega!” the doctor cried, and Otabek frowned at the scene before him, though he had made no move to intervene. Clearly, this alpha had no desire to get his hands dirty.

“Drug him,” he said, a note of resignation in his voice, and Yuri felt his fear mount again at the idea of being knocked out again. He struggled against the larger man even more ferociously as the little doctor began to voice a reply.

“I'm not sure that's wise, sir,” the doctor said uncertainly, “you told me he was already given a strong tranquilizer in order to do his physical and get him to the estate without issue, and to put another sedative in his system so soon after waking—”

“—you won't be able to get near him while he's conscious,” Otabek interrupted, this time with a note of impatience in his voice. “Just do it,” he ordered, “I haven't got all day.”

The doctor nodded meekly, and Yuri watched in abject horror as the little man withdrew another syringe from his bag. Yuri continued to struggle and fight while he did his best to ignore his slowly growing fatigue. He could rest _after_ he'd escaped.

This time, the doctor was careful to circle him out of the reach of his legs, like one might circle a donkey, and Yuri let out an animalistic screech as the doctor approached him with the syringe, his thumb poised over the plunger.

“ _No!_ ” he cried as he squirmed and wiggled against the hold the large man still had on him. “Get the _fuck_ away from me! Don't—” Yuri's words cut off abruptly when he felt a slight sting against the side of his neck, and his world, once again, faded to black.

 

When Yuri next woke up, the window that he was facing told him that it was night.

He knew that he was in a bed, and the heavy arm that was resting over his hips was Otabek's.--the heavy alpha scent that clung to the man at his back would belong to no one else.

His memory was distinctly fuzzy, like it had been the last time he'd woken from a drug-induced sleep, and slowly, memories of what had happened returned to him. He let out a sharp gasp as he recalled the _reason_ for the use of a sedative, and Yuri's hands flew up to his throat.

He felt cold steel under his fingers.

Yuri dropped one hand to his bandaged forearm, and he felt a tiny, hard bump resting just under his skin.

Yuri clenched his eyes shut, and a wave of misery washed over him. Despite his best efforts, a tear escaped, and it trickled across the bridge of his nose before it dripped silently onto the pillow beneath his head.

His life was over.

A tiny sob slipped past his lips before he could stop it, and Yuri's soft hiccough of a sob was enough to rouse the alpha. Yuri felt him stir at his back, and he tensed.

“Yuri?” Otabek asked groggily, but Yuri did not respond as he felt his face burn with shame—he hadn't wanted his captor to see him break this easily. He was stronger than this, and yet this alpha had managed to shatter everything that he ever was in a mere handful of hours.

A hand fell to his hair, and Yuri flinched as though he'd been struck.

“Don't touch me,” Yuri mumbled miserably, and grimaced at the weak, reedy quality of his voice.

“It's okay, Yuri,” Otabek replied, ignoring his command as he wrapped his arm around Yuri again and drew him close. Yuri shuddered when he felt a kiss be pressed to his temple, and squirmed in an effort to get away from the alpha, but it made no difference whatsoever. Indeed, his hold on Yuri seemed to tighten, instead of the reverse.

“No it's not,” he replied weakly, “you bought me, you collared me, and you microchipped me like...like...like a _dog_. How is _any_ of that okay?”

“It's temporary, just until you get used to your life here,” Otabek said softly, and moved to stroke his hair again. Yuri flinched, but this time, Otabek ignored it. “I don't do it because I _enjoy_ treating you like you're less than human...it's for your own safety.” Yuri snorted derisively; somehow, he _seriously_ doubted that. “It _is_ ,” Otabek reiterated emphatically, “regardless if you believe me or not.”

“You just don't want to lose your _property_ ,” Yuri tried to sneer, but his cracked voice made it nearly impossible to sound venomous as he sniffed sharply, and rubbed roughly at his nose when it began to run.

“I don't view you as my property,” Otabek replied evenly, his tone firm and insistent. “I view you as my partner—my _lover_. If you gave me even half a chance, you'd see that. I'm not one of those alphas who uses their omegas for sex and nothing else. You're not a toy to me. I want to _know_ you, Yuri.”

As Otabek spoke, he drew Yuri even closer, spooning the omega against him. Yuri could feel every line of the alpha's hard, toned body, and he shivered when he felt a soft kiss press against the nape of his neck. Otabek ignored this negative reaction in favour of kissing his neck again. It was only when an unwilling, frightened whimper slipped past his lips did Otabek stop, and the arm around him moved in order to rest his hand over one of Yuri's, apparently in a show of devotion that Yuri did not share.

“You are precious to me, Yuri,” Otabek whispered, his breath tickling Yuri's ear, “and I have no intention of treating you as any less than you deserve.”

Yuri snorted in disbelief, but did not answer.

 

 


	4. Escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: **Warning:** This chapter contains a scene of self-inflicted harm (not to be confused with self-harm), and corporal punishment/physical abuse. Reader discretion is advised.
> 
> I'm moving Update Day to Tuesdays because of my class schedule, so next update will be September 5th. This update is early because my wonderful, precious, adorable, pain-in-the-ass cat is sick (again) and I will be busy with her at the vet tomorrow. Sooo, you guys get an early update. Be mindful of the warnings in this note, I'm not exaggerating here.

Chapter Three – Escape

 

As Yuri settled into his new life at the Altin Estate, he put forward a bland, unresponsive attitude for the alpha, Otabek while he tried to figure out a way to get the hell _out_ of this gilded prison.

Yuri felt very much like a trapped animal, except in a sprawling mansion with more rooms than an average hotel, and ridiculous gardens, and an actual _staff_ of people responsible for the upkeep of the place. Otabek did not even need to lift a finger, and everything he could ever want was available to him.

Including Yuri, or so the alpha liked to believe.

 

For the first three days, Otabek would offer Yuri beautiful clothes in his exact size; rich foods that he could not even pronounce the name of; and every form of entertainment Yuri could possibly imagine, from gaming consoles to movies, and everything in between.

Yuri wanted none of it. Any hospitality Otabek had to offer, Yuri spat it back in his face.

He stayed in the clothes he'd been forced into from back at the House, he refused to eat, and he sat in complete silence for hours, refusing to speak to Otabek, or do anything at all.

Most unfortunately, though he staunchly refused to accept anything Otabek had to offer(though he snuck mouthfuls of water whenever he went to the washroom, given that he couldn't escape if he fainted from dehydration), his high stress levels always exhausted him, paired with the lack of food, and he always fell asleep early. He would consistently wake to find himself back in Otabek's bed, and the unfamiliar hands on him was always enough to make him break out in gooseflesh, and he felt distinctly sick to his stomach.

He wanted to go _home_.

The worst part was, Yuri knew full-well that he couldn't, and that made the painful longing for _home_ even more potent.

 

When Yuri woke on the fourth day it was well past noon, and he was blessedly alone in the bed. He was still clothed in what he had been wearing yesterday, and despite the fact that he was beginning to feel somewhat desperate for a change and a wash, he still refused to accept _anything_ from his jailer.

Yuri sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes. It was at that moment that he noticed that the air smelt of something familiar, and his stomach gave an audible rumble. He looked around for the source of the smell, and spotted it immediately, sitting innocently on top of the desk across the room, resting next to an enormous iMac screen.

Yuri slipped from the bed, and as he approached the pirozki, he saw a note resting under a large glass of water. As his eyes zipped across the paper, his curiosity shifted immediately to anger.

 

_Yuri,_

_I needed to step out for a few hours to see to some business. I shouldn't be gone too long._

_I read in your file that these are your favourite food, please enjoy them._

_x_

_Otabek_

 

Yuri picked up the plate, pirozki and all, and threw it against the opposite wall as hard as he possibly could.

The porcelain shattered on impact and the pastries burst open, scattering filling everywhere. Yuri followed it by pitching the glass of water on top of the mess, and it too shattered with an almighty _crash_.

He snatched up the note and shredded it, and after he threw down the note on top of the mess of _Otabek_ ' _s_ hospitality he stormed from the room and headed straight for the bathroom across the hall from Otabek's room.

Yuri rummaged through the cabinets, not even giving the huge, marble-everywhere bathroom more than a passing glance while he searched.

He found what he was looking for in under a minute, and Yuri's face split into his first genuine smile since arriving in this new hell.

The razor looked expensive, which gave Yuri a strange sense of vindictive glee as he cracked open the razor's head with a soap dish and he extracted the blades.

Yuri paused his feverish activity to gently prod at his forearm, and found what he was searching for immediately. A tiny lump on his inner right forearm—the microchip.

The omega gave himself a moment to breathe and brace himself for what was to come, then with mildly shaking hands, he lifted one of the blades between the fingers of his left hand, and dug the wickedly sharp edge into his skin.

Blood beaded around the implement, and Yuri bit back a hiss of pain as he sliced into himself, and created a long but shallow cut. His arm was quickly streaked with red, and it dripped from his elbow, staining the white bath mat under his feet. Yuri shifted a little to ensure that more drops fell onto the mat, rather than the counter, to ensure that the mess he left behind was not one that would be cleared away easily. He wanted Otabek to _remember_ what happens when someone tries to tame _him._

Once Yuri deemed the cut large enough, he tossed the bloody blade into the sink, and with a grimace, he dug his fingers into the cut, rooting around for the tiny tracking device.

Thankfully the microchip was not embedded too deeply into his skin, and Yuri found it easily. As he pulled it out, it looked much the same as the last time he'd seen it, though this time he was not in a state of complete and utter panic, and he was able to take in more details of the physical appearance of the thing. It was small and cylindrical like a vitamin capsule, blinking red, but too bloody to discern much else. It looked more or less how Yuri had expected, and he felt a surge of joy race through him as he dropped it into the toilet, and watched it disappear as he flushed.

The omega paused long enough to grab a wad of toilet paper to mop up the blood from the minor wound, but he got a sick sort of pleasure of shaking off the latent droplets onto the floor.

Part one of his escape plan complete, Yuri looked into the mirror to study _it._

_The Collar._

It was a simple circlet of shiny metal. It rested low on his throat, and there was no catch that he could see, nor any indent to indicate where the edge of the thing was. It was a perfect circle—perfect proverbial ball and chain.

 _This is an obedience collar,_ Yuri thought, _that's why Otabek said it was temporary. That means it's probably linked wirelessly to some sort of invisible fence thing. If I try to leave the grounds, I'll probably get an electric shock or something._

Yuri smirked as an idea came to him.

 _Time to show this_ Otabek _why he made a_ big _mistake in trying to tame me._

 

_~*~_

 

Yuri cleaned himself up as best he could, and once the cut on his forearm did not look quite as gory, he slipped from the bathroom, down to the main level of the house, and began to search for a doorway that would lead to the basement.

He passed by a few maids as he wandered, and ignored them when they tried to politely greet him. Clearly, they hadn't found the mess he'd made upstairs yet.

It took almost twenty minutes for Yuri to make his way through the ridiculously huge house to the kitchens, and there he found what he was looking for—the sub-terrestrial level of the house.

Yuri quickly glanced around for anyone who might spot him, and grabbed a set of rubber gloves from next to the sink before he slipped down to the basement, and began to search for a fuse box.

He found what he was looking for not far from a ridiculously oversized water tank, but when he flicked the fuse box open, he cursed, for it wasn't a jumble of wires he could just yank apart like he'd hoped, but instead it contained a number of elaborate, unmarked switches.

“Fuck,” Yuri hissed, “okay, don't panic, Plan B, Plan B...” he muttered as he looked around, squinting in the semidarkness. Something red perched on a low table caught his eye; he smirked as he rushed over to it, and flicked the toolbox open hastily. Inside, he found _exactly_ what he was looking for.

A metal sledgehammer in hand, with a handle encased in rubber, Yuri backtracked to the fuse box, swung it open, and took the hammer in both hands as he took careful aim.

He swung the tool with all his strength, and though the hammer hit home, the inside of the fuse box dented, but nothing broke. Yuri swung at it again, and again, and on the fifth time, a shower of sparks rained out of the box, and he was engulfed in darkness.

_Mission accomplished._

Yuri dropped the tool and carefully felt his way back to the stairs. He could hear a few people crying out in surprise at the sudden blackout, and he'd only just managed to clear the door and hide as a man and woman hurried past him, flashlights in hand to see what had gone wrong.

Certain that the connection to his collar was now cut, Yuri wasted no time, and he hurried from the kitchen, down the hall, and towards the back gardens.

The door he sought out was blessedly unlocked, and Yuri burst out into the crisp autumn air just as he heard the soft thundering of footsteps behind him, and a somewhat distraught voice call out.

“Master Yuri!” a man cried, and Yuri turned to see one of the servants running towards him. “Wait! where are you going?”

Yuri did not answer, but smirked and fingered a wave at the young man, then turned and raced away from the house's patio. He could hear the man cry out and try to give chase, but after so long running from alphas and House Catchers, Yuri was _much_ faster.

Outside, like Otabek had said, the house (though to Yuri it seemed more like a palatial estate) was surrounded by dense forest, but the edges of the property were marked clearly by low flower gardens, like a living fence surrounding the house's perimeter.

Yuri ran through the flowers, kicking and uprooting as many as he could as he went. He could taste his freedom, it was so close—

A sharp crackle of what sounded like a live wire was the only warning Yuri got before sharp pain lanced through his body, and he crumpled to the ground with a sharp yelp of pain. His heart racing, Yuri staggered to his feet as he tried to cross again, only to be shocked by the collar for a second time.

 _I don't understand,_ Yuri thought frantically as he tried to stand, but his limbs were refusing to cooperate. _I cut the power, there should be no signal to this thing, unless..._

“Fuck,” Yuri snarled under his breath, ... _unless it has an independent supply._

Yuri tried to force himself to his feet, but immediately fell to one knee. Sweat dotted his skin as he moved to try and stand up once more, but he was impeded from trying again when the full weight of a large man crashed down on him from behind. Yuri cried out in surprise and pain as his arms were pinned to his back, and he was dragged forcibly to his feet.

“ _Gotcha!_ ” the voice cried out triumphantly, laughing jovially as re adjusted his hold on Yuri as he screeched and thrashed against him, but it was like his arms had been sealed in an iron manacle. “

Come on, ya dirty bugger, you wait 'til your alpha gets home, he is _not_ happy with you, I'll tell you that much...” the man continued as he dragged Yuri to his feet and marched him back into the house and up the stairs.

All the while, Yuri struggled against him and screamed obscenities, but the man ignored him, only stopping when he reached an unfamiliar door. He opened it, shoved Yuri inside, and slammed it shut without a word.

Yuri fell to the ground again, his weakened limbs completely incapable of holding his own weight as he heard the lock shift into place, and two voices sounded from the other side of the door.

 

“ _Do not move from this spot, do you hear me? If you need to piss, I'll get you a fucking bottle, I don't care, but do_ not _leave your post. We can't let him escape again.”_

“ _What about the windows inside the room? Couldn't he...I don't know, break 'em or something?”_

“ _Brian, how long have you worked here? All the windows have tempered glass, you know that. And we nailed the windows in this room shut a while back, remember? Just don't move. Mr Altin will be home in a few hours, and he can decide how to best deal with the little demon...”_

“ _Figures Mr Altin would pick an omega who's such a goddamn piece of work...”_

“ _Maybe now the little fucker will think twice before causing a few hundred roubles in damages...”_

 

The voices faded away as Yuri crawled to one corner of the room and slumped down against the wall, finally letting his dizziness and exhaustion overwhelm him.

He was so completely, and utterly _fucked._

Yuri knew full-well what happened to omegas who were caught misbehaving.

There was a reason after all that rule one of any escape attempt was the same in every Omega House—

 

_Don't get caught._

 

Yuri shivered as he tried to not think about what sort of beating this _Otabek_ might mete out. He'd heard that alphas were more vicious than House owners were in their beatings for misconduct, and Yuri had _seriously_ misconducted.

The omega pulled his knees to his chest, and he buried his face in his thighs. He was too exhausted to even be properly angry, and instead he held himself and wept, as his thoughts went back to his life before all this, before he'd turned sixteen and been whisked away to an Omega House, before he'd run away over and over to escape the fate of being bound to an alpha for the rest of his life—back to the only person who'd ever truly cared for him—his grandfather, Nikolai Plisetsky.

His smiling face, his salt-and-pepper hair, and their little, rickety house by the sea.

It should have come as no surprise however when the first thing that came to mind was the gut-wrenching conversation that ended his life at the tender age of thirteen—when Nikolai had been informed that Yuri had presented as an omega.

Even now, years later, Yuri still could recall that conversation word for word.

 

“ _Oh, my brave, brave Yuratchka, I wish it was not so, but on your sixteenth birthday, I will not be able to give you anything but my apologies. You are an omega, you see, and in this country, once you have matured, at sixteen, they will take you to an Omega House. I don't think I will see you again. They say it is for your own safety that you are locked away, kept out of the hands of dangerous alphas, and instead they must go through the proper legal channels to claim you. You must be brave, my grandson. I know it is scary, but I will have no choice but to let you go. I'm so sorry.”_

 

His words had been partially true. Three years later he had been taken away, and now, presently five years after that conversation, he had not seen his grandfather once. Yuri had no idea if he was alive or dead, and that hurt him more than his status as an omega ever would.

Yuri moved from his spot and into a corner of the room that was farthest from the door.

He curled up, making himself as small as possible, and tried to not think of what awaited him when Otabek got home.

 

~*~

 

Three hours later, Yuri heard the soft _click_ of the door's lock shifting, and he glanced up nervously to see Otabek stepping into the room. He wore in a crisp business suit, clearly tailored to him, and he looked positively exhausted. In that time, the power had not been turned back on, and the alpha carried with him a pillar candle to see in the evening twilight. He held it in one hand, his opposite arm cradling something that Yuri could not make out while he scanned the room, presumably looking for Yuri.

It took the alpha almost a full minute to locate Yuri curled up silently in the corner. Yuri watched and waited, but made no sound as he watched Otabek look for him. When he finally spotted the omega, Yuri instinctively tensed, but did not move or speak as he watched Otabek approach him in a few quick strides of his long legs.

 

Otabek stopped just short of where Yuri was curled up, and he dropped a number of items in front of the omega, including the broken dishes, the bloody razor blades, and the sledgehammer. Otabek then set down the candle on the nearby bedside table before he sat down across from him, his legs crossed, and he levelled his gaze with the omega.

“Tell me why you did this,” Otabek said, his voice soft and resigned, and instead of anger in his tone, all Yuri could hear was disappointment.

“I was trying to escape,” Yuri explained simply, and frowned at Otabek, as though this were obvious.

“I thought as much,” Otabek replied, and sighed heavily. “Show me your arm, I want to make sure that cut isn't infected.”

“I'm fine,” Yuri growled while his eyes narrowed into a glare, “you don't need to concern yourself.”

“You are _my_ omega, therefore _my_ responsibility,” Otabek replied in what was likely supposed to be a stern tone of voice, but it came out more frustrated than commanding. “Please, show me your arm. I don't want to have to force you.”

Yuri stared at Otabek's silhouette in the near-total darkness as he weighed his options. He was already in deep shit, and therefore it would be stupid to make things worse for himself, but at the same time, obeying a command from this man in any capacity made his skin crawl.

However, Yuri knew that he had been weakened by the electric shocks from the collar, and if he tried to fight now, he would lose.

Reluctantly, Yuri extended his arm.

Otabek closed his hand over the omega's forearm, and Yuri shuddered at the touch. He winced a little when Otabek prodded at the scabbed cut, and only relaxed again when the alpha let him go.

“I don't like violence,” he said suddenly in a calm and unnervingly even tone of voice. “I like it less when it is directed at someone like you—someone whom I would _like_ to know, not hurt. I _do_ care for you, Yuri, regardless if you believe me or not. When my servants told me what had happened, I could hardly believe it, and I was very disappointed that you would cause so much damage for such a selfish reason. You've made the lives of everyone in this house much more difficult by your actions, and so despite my distaste for violence, I have no choice. You brought this on yourself, Yuri, and I am sorry. Come here.”

He motioned with his hand as he spoke the last two words, but Yuri immediately shrunk back into his corner without saying a word. Otabek sighed again, and withdrew something from his pocket—in the dark, Yuri could not tell what it was—and he approached Yuri slowly, trapping him in his spot.

Otabek's face was blank, and Yuri could only see this when he got close—too close for his liking. Without a word, he grabbed Yuri by the wrist and dragged him to his feet.

The sudden move made Yuri's head spin, and he tugged back on his captive wrist, which only caused Otabek to tighten his hold as he dragged Yuri towards the bed.

“ _No...”_ Yuri whimpered a little, and he felt himself burn with shame at how pathetically _weak_ he sounded.

“I'm sorry,” Otabek repeated without emotion, and sat down on the edge of the bed. He pulled Yuri down with him, and bound his wrists together at his back with a zip tie, tightly, but not so tight that it would cut off circulation. With the same blank expression, he manoeuvred Yuri across his knees, and yanked down his jeans.

It was at that moment that cold realization washed over Yuri, just as a folded leather belt was pressed against his mouth. Seeing no other option, he bit down on the leather, and clenched his eyes shut.

“I'm sorry,” Otabek said again, “I'm giving you thirty strikes, now prepare yourself...”

Yuri clenched his eyes shut. Whatever he'd brandished for the punishment sang as it swung down towards his exposed bottom.

It hit with a sharp _slap_ , and Yuri cried out past the belt in his mouth. It was not a tentative, gentle slap, but sure and hard. Otabek did not even flinch at Yuri's vocalization of pain.

The second hit, followed by the third. They were robotic and methodical, and none of them adequately braced Yuri for the next strike. They did not falter or soften, and instead became more painful as his skin became inflamed and sore.

Tears began to streak Yuri's cheeks, and he struggled against his bindings as the hits continued to rain down, but the zip tie would not give, and instead cut sharply into his flesh, creating papercut-thin slices in the backs and sides of his wrists. He felt his blood dampen his shirt at the small of his back, just as another strike cracked across his exposed skin.

Yuri lost count of the hits, and no matter how he cried out or struggled, Otabek still did not waver. The strikes were sure and hard—and pure agony.

On the final hit, Yuri heard a distinctive clatter, as though Otabek had tossed whatever he had been using to the floor, and his wrists fell limply to his sides as his bonds were cut. Weakened and exhausted, Yuri was as pliant as a mannequin when Otabek carefully turned him over and drew him into a gentle embrace, while still being careful to not put any pressure on his backside.

“I'm sorry,” Otabek whispered as he stroked Yuri's hair and kissed his temple. “I'm so sorry. Please don't run away from me, my omega. I want you here, and I want you safe.”

Yuri did not move or respond; so close to the beating, Otabek's words felt painfully like empty sentiment. Yuri knew now without the shadow of a doubt that if he stepped out of line again, there was every chance that Otabek would not hesitate to beat him again.

Otabek scooped Yuri up carefully and carried him to the bedroom without the aid of the lights. He lay Yuri down on his stomach, then stepped out of the room, returning a moment later with the candle he'd had earlier.

He set the candle on the bedside table, then went about changing into his pyjamas. Yuri watched as Otabek stripped out of his suit and pulled on a pair of simple cotton pyjama pants, completely uncaring if Yuri saw his naked body. It was true that in the near-total darkness Yuri couldn't see _much,_ but it was also very clear that Otabek had nothing to be ashamed of, either.

The alpha slid into the bed next to Yuri, but despite the fact that they were both half-naked, the alpha made no move to touch him intimately. Yuri was privately grateful for this, because his ass _really_ hurt.

A heavy arm suddenly draped across the middle of Yuri's back, and he tensed when Otabek shifted closer, but surprisingly, he still kept his hands above the waist. Yuri shivered when he felt lips brush lightly against his temple.

“I care for you, my Yuri,” Otabek murmured, “I know it doesn't look like it, but I do. I want you to choose me, in the end.”

The tender words so soon after the punishment made Yuri feel dizzy, and he clenched his eyes shut as they began to burn. He willed himself away from his new hell, and back to the memories of his grandfather.

It soothed the sting of his misery, but only just.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Rouble is the Russian currency.


	5. Mixed Signals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hi guys, thank you so, so much for all the feedback on the last chapter. The reactions and interpretations of both Yuri and Otabek's characterization has been really interesting to see, and I'm so glad you guys are enjoying it. Here is the next chapter, and the following update will be September 12th.

Chapter Four – Mixed Signals

 

Yuri woke the following morning, and he was alone in the expansive bed. He was stiff and sore, and for a moment, he could not remember why.

Suddenly, it all came flooding back, and Yuri jerked up into a sitting position. Immediately, he regretted it as pain flared through his bottom, and Yuri fell back against the bed, on his stomach this time, and he let out a tiny groan.

Following his pained vocalization, Otabek appeared in the doorway not ten seconds later.

 _Fuck,_ Yuri thought as he glared at the alpha, _worst morning ever._

Otabek approached him, and though Yuri longed to look away and ignore him, he felt as though turning his back on him might be a bad idea. Otabek was an alpha, and a very real threat. If he turned away and Otabek tried something, he would have no way to escape in time.

Not that he reasonably _could_ , but keeping Otabek in his field of vision was reassuring, in a strange way.

The alpha sat next to him and began to stroke Yuri's hair lightly. Yuri flinched at the intimate touch, but Otabek did not stop.

“How are you feeling?” he asked softly, and Yuri glared at him in response.

“Like you care,” Yuri muttered at last, and finally turned away from him. “You're the one who did this to me in the first place.”

“And like I told you last night, you brought that on yourself,” Otabek replied evenly, “am I to _not_ punish someone for behaving like you did?”

“Corporal punishment is barbaric,” Yuri shot back. “Make me write lines, send me away, whatever, I don't care. But what you did accomplished nothing, except now I trust you even less than I did before.”

“And I am sorry for that,” Otabek replied, “allow me to make it up to you.”

“You can make it up to me by releasing me...I think you've done enough damage for one lifetime.”

“Now, you know that I have no intention of doing that,” Otabek replied, his tone sound almost amused as he spoke, and Yuri whirled around when he suddenly heard him pick something up off the bedside table.

Yuri narrowed his eyes suspiciously, both at Otabek, and the small mason jar in his hand, which was filled with some sort of yellowish paste.

“What's that?” Yuri asked, and he narrowed his eyes again.

“Medicine for you,” the alpha replied simply as he unscrewed the lid. Even at a distance, Yuri could smell cedar and beeswax coming from the little jar. How was that _medicine?_

“It smells like a scented candle,” Yuri remarked, and the corner of Otabek's mouth twitched in amusement.

“I have an herbalist that cooks this up special for me,” Otabek explained. “Pharmaceuticals are good for some things, but herbal medicine is sometimes more potent than most people seem to realize. Now, just relax while I apply this, I swear I just want to treat your bruises—that's all.”

Otabek did not wait for his assent before he tugged down Yuri's pyjama bottems and began to apply the salve. Yuri flinched on reflex rather than from actual pain, and he bit back a whimper as Otabek massaged the so-called _medicine_ into his skin. His touches were like that of a ghost—barely a breath on his skin, but no matter how lightly he applied the salve, it still stung.

Otabek finished applying it in under fifteen minutes, and Yuri watched bemusedly as Otabek mopped his fingers on a paper towel, then reached out to brush his fingers through Yuri's hair. He clenched his eyes shut, bracing himself for pain, and flinched when Otabek leant in to lightly kiss his temple.

“Just relax, and don't move. I'll be back in a few minutes with something for you to eat.”

Like with the salve, Otabek did not give Yuri time to protest this before he was up and out of the room. As promised, he returned with a plate of eggs and toast with a glass of orange juice. The sulphuric smell of the eggs and the heavy aroma of the butter on the toast made Yuri's stomach turn, and he faced away from his keeper.

“Yuri, please,” Otabek said with a soft, frustrated sigh, “you haven't eaten in days. You need to keep up your strength.”

“What for?” Yuri muttered, “for my next _beating_? What, is it no fun anymore if you run the risk of me fainting on you? Or is it to prepare me for bearing your children, like you said back at the Omega House? My next heat is in about twenty days, plenty of time for you to—”

“Shut up.”

Otabek's voice was soft, and carried a dangerous calm that, in Yuri's experience, usually preceded violence of some kind. His mouth snapped shut.

“Just _shut up_ ,” Otabek repeated. He sounded angry, but more than that, he sounded _hurt_ by Yuri's words. “I know what you must think of me,” he continued, his voice shaking as though he was just barely keeping it under control. “The big, evil alpha come to take you away to my tower, and then ravish you at my discretion. Excuse me for wanting companionship, family, maybe even _love_ , if you gave me half a fucking chance. I don't make the rules. If I had my way, I would have approached you like the betas do one another, and court you, instead of choosing you from a line of hopefuls like that. But that is _not my fault_.”

A hand fell to Yuri's throat, and he tensed. However, it did not squeeze, merely rested there as Otabek bowed over him, Yuri did not move.

“I know you probably wish I'd give up and take you back to the Omega House. I haven't marked you as mine yet, there's still time, after all,” he murmured, his whisper so low and laced with warning that Yuri could not suppress his shiver of fear. “But I won't. The idea of another alpha touching you is completely abhorrent to me. I will wait for you to be ready, Yuri, but I will not give up on you.”

Otabek stood up and Yuri listened to him stride across the room.

“You should,” the omega said at last.

The footsteps paused.

“I beg your pardon?”

“You should give up on me,” Yuri explained as he turned to face the alpha, and glared at him. “I would sooner die than touch you willingly. And if when my heat comes and you _rape_ a child into me, I swear that I will claw it out before it can even register as a spark of life.”

“I'll keep that in mind,” Otabek replied dryly, without emotion, the slipped from the room and slammed the door shut so hard that the landscape painting on the wall rattled ominously.

Yuri turned away again so that he was not facing the food Otabek had left behind, and ignored the way his stomach gurgled loudly. He wasn't about to accept _anything_ from this man. He'd die of starvation first.

His ass twinged as he lay there, but it _did_ feel a little better, much to Yuri's annoyance. He didn't _want_ to feel any better. He didn't want _anything_ this horrible alpha had to offer him.

Yuri buried his face in the pillow to stifle a tiny sob.

This time, Otabek did not appear.

 

~*~

 

Yuri dozed, and when he next woke his untouched breakfast was gone, and in its place was a platter of lunch fare. There was some sort of chicken sandwich and beet salad, with a sealed soft drink next to it. He also noted that he was _sure_ the salve had been reapplied.

Yuri ignored the food again, and buried his face back into the pillow.

He was feeling dizzy and nauseous from the lack of food, but he didn't care. A food strike might be his only ticket out of this house, and maybe _Otabek_ would realize that Yuri really and truly wanted nothing to do with him.

Yuri dozed again, and when he woke up it was night, the food was gone, and even in the dark, he realized that he was in a different room. The TV in the corner bore the little sleep mode light, indicating that the power was finally back on, and the bed he lay in felt almost too large for one person to reasonably use.

Yuri pulled himself up with a soft groan, and in just his T-shirt, he wandered over to the full-body mirror across the room, and by the light of the near-full moon light that filtered in the window, he inspected the damage done to his bum.

It was considerably less black and blue than Yuri had been expecting, and the pain was significantly less than it had been this morning. It still looked fairly gruesome—huge, purple and green-tinged bruises peppered over his ass and the backs of his thighs. Just _looking_ at it made his stomach turn over uneasily—it had been a long while since he'd seen any part of his body so badly beaten.

Unwilling to look at it anymore, Yuri hurried back to the bed, curled up on his stomach, and tried to sleep.

 

~*~

 

_Tap, tap._

Yuri groaned.

_Tap, tap, tap._

Yuri ignored the sound, and slammed a pillow over his head.

“ _Master Yuri,_ ” a muffled voice called from the other side of the door.

Yuri continued to ignore it.

“ _Master Yuri, Master Otabek is requesting your presence in the library. He intimated that this is not optional. You are to wash, dress in clean clothes, and join him there. If you choose to ignore this, he will have Davies, the charming man who caught you during your bid for freedom, do it for you.”_

The latter threat was enough to push Yuri from the bed, but he still had no desire to do _any_ of what the so-called _Master_ commanded.

Fighting his burning desire to blatantly ignore Otabek's demands, he reluctantly walked to the closet and found that everything was in his size. This did nothing more than further frustrate him, and he sullenly grabbed a pair of loose lounge pants and a nightshirt, before he stomped to the bathroom.

The water temperature and pressure was perfect, and Yuri had so many options of personal products to choose from that his hair came from the shower soft as silk, and his skin velvety smooth. A jar of the salve had been left for him on the counter, and Yuri reluctantly grabbed it and applied it, then shaved while he waited for it to dry, and at last tugged on the baggy clothes.

He felt relaxed, comfortably clean, and like a new man in his fresh garments.

And he _hated_ it.

It was only when he stomped barefoot back into the main area of the huge bedroom did he realize that he had no idea where the library was. At the same moment that this realization hit him, he noted the presence of a folded piece of paper on the bedside table addressed to him, and Yuri ground his teeth as he walked over to it, stomping the whole way. As he had anticipated, it was directions how to get to the library from his room.

More than anything, Yuri wanted to crawl back into bed and ignore the summons, but his memories of the beating not a full two days earlier gave Yuri the impression that that might be a very _bad_ idea.

Yuri crumpled up the note and tossed it in the garbage as he left the room, and reluctantly followed Otabek's directions. He headed down to the main level of the house, across the entrance hall to the parlour, and through the door at the back.

It was hardly on the level of _Beauty and the Beast_ , but the library was still an impressive collection. Ceiling-high teak bookshelves lined the walls, and wooden footstools sat every few feet to help the browser reach the high shelves. Even at a distance, Yuri spotted books from a number of genres—fiction, mystery, philosophy, true crime, political science, social studies, and more. The collection wasn't very large, and probably only bordered on one thousand, but was still impressive nonetheless. In the centre of the room was a leather settee and coffee table that faced a fireplace, which, despite the lack of need for it, was roaring merrily.

Otabek was perched on the settee, a thin book perched in his hands, and he looked up from it and smiled when he saw Yuri standing awkwardly in the doorway.

“Come in, Yuri,” Otabek said kindly, and motioned to the spot next to him, where a doughnut-shaped cushion rested—clearly designed to allow him to sit without hurting his still-healing backside. “Please, sit with me.”

Yuri knew that the request was a thinly-veiled order, but with the threat from the servant still fresh in his mind, he reluctantly shuffled forward, and sat down gingerly.

Yuri gritted his teeth as he realized that the cushion had been perfectly constructed to take the pressure off his bum, and he felt no pain as he sat with his captor. Otabek looked away from him to dig his phone out of his jeans pocket, and he tapped at the screen a few times. In Yuri's peripheral vision, he could see that he was texting someone, but Yuri didn't care enough to turn and read over the alpha's shoulder.

Not five minutes later, a servant stepped into the library, sporting a platter of light appetizers and two sealed soft drinks.

“Eat,” Otabek said after the servant left, and Yuri crossed his arms stubbornly.

“Not hungry,” Yuri muttered without looking up. He heard Otabek let out a small growl of annoyance.

“Yes, you are,” he replied, “I can practically hear your stomach growling from here. Look, I'm not above making you fucking miserable to get you to eat, but we can go that route if you continue to act like a five-year-old.”

“Define _fucking miserable_ , because I'm pretty sure we got there already.”

“I will take you to the hospital, in a private wing. You'll be strapped down, put under anaesthetic, and when you wake up, there will be a tube in your throat and a catheter in your urethra. You will be force-fed by tubes until you eat on your own. Do you _really_ want me to do that to you? The last thing I want is to hurt you, Yuri, but when you're hurting yourself like this, I'm beginning to feel like I'll have no choice.”

“You...you wouldn't,” Yuri replied nervously, and Otabek arched a brow at him.

“Wouldn't I?” he asked, “you've already painted me in your mind as some sort of horrible monster, do you truly believe that there isn't _anything_ I wouldn't do?”

Yuri sullenly picked up a cracker topped with cucumber and cream cheese. Otabek smiled.

“Thank you.”

Yuri popped it into his mouth, and glared at his knees as he chewed. Otabek cracked open their drinks, and slid one across to Yuri—ginger ale.

After eating a second appetizer, Otabek made him stop and sip the soft drink. Yuri was tempted to just stuff his face out of spite, but unlike starving himself, he wasn't overly keen on the idea of throwing up, and instead sulkily sat there and did as he was told.

Otabek sat back and picked his book back up, only reminding Yuri to eat and drink occasionally, until he was satisfied that the omega had eaten enough. He then stood, and paused only long enough to gently touch the top of Yuri's head as he passed.

“Help yourself to anything you like,” he said, “if you want to talk, I'll be in my study down the hall.”

Without another word, he was gone.

 

~*~

 

Days passed, and before Yuri knew it, he'd been in the new house for a full two weeks.

Unlike the first week, where Otabek hardly left his side, the following seven days Yuri was subjected to the exact opposite, and Otabek left him alone. He did not even stop in to check whether or not Yuri was eating, instead trusting that he would do so when brought his meals.

Yuri did eat, albeit reluctantly. The threat that Otabek had voiced earlier of fitting him with a feeding tube so that he could be force-fed was still clear in his mind, and the idea of being stripped of power so completely utterly terrified him.

As his buttocks healed, he also began to wander the huge house. In part to explore, given that he had little else to do but sit around and wallow in his misery, but also to find weak points in the house—places where he was less likely to be seen, and once he'd managed to get this damn collar off, he'd use those places to make his escape.

During that time, he did not see Otabek once.

Yuri couldn't decide how he felt about this. On the one hand, it was a blessing to not have to play nice before _his alpha—_ Yuri shuddered at the horrible implications behind that internal phrasing—but by the same token, he had no one else around to talk to, and he was beginning to feel terribly lonely.

One rainy, miserable Monday afternoon, Yuri was in the library, curled up before the fire with a book in hand titled, _Kafka on the Shore_ , and an enormous mug of spiced hot chocolate before him. He hadn't asked for it, the butler, Stephenson, had brought it for him, and did not say one way or another whether it had been sent up at Otabek's request or not.

As usual, he had not seen the alpha that day, and he was deeply enjoying this separation. Unfortunately, just as he was marvelling at his ability to _finally_ a little bit of peace in his prison, the scent of an unfamiliar alpha invaded his senses, and he froze.

“My, my, my...what have we got here?”

Yuri whirled around, his eyes wide, and the book tumbled from his hands as he gazed at the stranger.

Blue eyes, tanned complexion, black hair styled in an undercut, and a grin on his face that immediately made Yuri feel uneasy.

“Who are you?” Yuri demanded, as he scrambled to his feet while the alpha made his approach. With every step forward, Yuri mirrored it and stepped back, but his clear unease did not seem to deter the alpha at all.

“Jean-Jacques Leroy. Friends call me JJ,” he said, stopping only when Yuri had been pressed flat against one of the bookcases. JJ pressed his palm against the shelf just above Yuri's right shoulder, and leant in close. “You must be the sweet little omega that Otabek swept up, but...it looks like he hasn't marked you yet...” he brushed the fingers of his free hand over the hollow of Yuri's throat where his bonding gland was located, and Yuri shuddered as he attempted to recoil from his touch though he didn't get far, given that he was trapped with nowhere to go.

“Don't fucking touch me,” Yuri snarled, his heart in his throat as he tried to hide his fear, while at the same time searched for an escape route from this man.

“Relax, Kitten,” JJ purred, “I won't hurt you, that is, unless you _want_ me to...”

His mouth came dangerously close to Yuri's throat, and the omega tensed. He was frozen with fear, and despite his mind screaming at him to _move_ or _shout_ or do _something_ , he found that he was completely unable to do anything but stare, horror-struck, as the alpha closed the distance between them.

“JJ, what exactly do you think you're doing?”

 _Otabek_.

The alpha sounded angry, and Yuri found himself deeply grateful that the anger was not directed at him—he sounded ready to kill.

JJ turned, but did not move away from Yuri as he offered Otabek a reassuring smile.

“You've got an unbonded omega wandering around your house, didn't you know?” he replied smoothly, “can you seriously expect me to not want a taste? Especially from one as pretty as this?”

“Yes,” Otabek deadpanned as he strode forward and yanked Yuri away from JJ. He wrapped both arms around the omega possessively, crushing Yuri against his chest while he narrowed his eyes at the other man. “He is _my_ omega. When I choose to mark him is my business, you will not touch what is not yours.”

Yuri clenched his eyes shut at the cutting words. He wanted to will himself away from the situation, but he also wanted to press closer to Otabek at the same time; both urges felt strangely wrong for different reasons, and Yuri couldn't decide which was the lesser of the two evils. On the one hand. this was the first human contact he'd had in days, and it calmed a part of his mind that he hadn't been wholly aware existed, but his pride all but screamed in negation at the idea of taking any sort of pleasure in touch from his captor. It was deeply, _deeply_ wrong to feel anything but revulsion for this man after what he had done, but at the moment, there was a tiny pinprick at the back of his mind of something else—

Gratitude.

“You leave an unmarked omega to wander around, sooner or later someone will snatch him up who is not afraid to mark what is theirs,” JJ pointed out coolly. “Viktor got his new omega the same day as you did. The way I hear it, he marked him within an hour of taking him home.”

Yuri's breath stilled.

_Yuuri._

“How I conduct myself is not reflective of Nikiforov,” Otabek growled, drawing Yuri from his thoughts. “I will mark my omega when I feel the time is right, and not one second before. Get out of here, we still have business to discuss. I will meet you back in the parlour.”

JJ grunted, and moved towards the door, his eyes still on Yuri. He instinctively pressed himself closer to Otabek in a vain attempt to hide himself from the other alpha's view; at the moment, he didn't care if it made him look weak—the _last_ thing he wanted was another alpha on his tail.

“Just a suggestion, Altin,” JJ said as he paused at the door, his hand resting lightly against its frame, “mark him before the party. Your unbonded alpha investors will have no qualms about snatching him up, and you will lose him before you can even blink.”

“Yuri won't be present, not that that's any of your business,” Otabek growled. “The parlour. Now. I will join you momentarily.”

JJ inclined his head once, and disappeared into the hall.

The moment he had gone, Otabek held Yuri out at arm's length and looked him over with a critical eye.

“Are you all right?” he asked softly, “did he hurt you?”

“Fine,” Yuri mumbled, looking away from the alpha as his face burned with shame. He replayed everything that had just happened over in his head, and he felt positively sickened at himself for allowing Otabek to touch him like that. When he spoke again, he couldn't quite meet the alpha's eyes. “Why aren't I invited to your _party_? Will I cramp your style or something?”

The sarcastic remark was met with a soft chuckle, and Yuri flinched when Otabek lightly stroked his hair.

“No, nothing like that,” he replied reassuringly. “I would love for an excuse to have you on my arm during one of these... _events_...I think you being there might even make it more tolerable. But you still bear all the hallmarks of an untamed, unbonded omega. Unfortunately, JJ is right. Anyone who wants you would be able to snatch you up, and most of them won't be as patient as I am in waiting for you to be _ready_ to be marked.”

“So, what? You going to hide me away like...like...some sort of princess in a tower, like you said?”

“You won't be alone,” Otabek promised, “Viktor Nikiforov will be in attendance, and as I understand it, you and his mate are friends.”

“ _Friends_ is a bit of a stretch.”

“ _Friendly,_ then,” the alpha replied, and pulled Yuri in abruptly. He brushed his lips against Yuri's temple, and embraced him one last time. “I need to get back to work, I want Jean-Jacques Leroy out of my house as quickly as possible. If you want to join me for dinner later, we can discuss this more, if you like.”

“I'll think about it,” Yuri mumbled, but even as he said it, Otabek seemed to understand that it was a thinly veiled _no_. He offered Yuri a small, sad smile, then slipped quietly from the room.

Yuri wrapped his arms around himself as he watched the alpha slip away, but it was a poor substitute for the way he'd felt when he was being embraced and protected by Otabek.

Shame overwhelmed him, and he dropped back down to the fire, now little more than glowing coals in the grate.

He'd never felt so alone.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: My personal library contains just over 650 books, so my definition of a “not very large” home library might be a little off XD


	6. Talk

Chapter Five – Talk

 

One week later, Yuri watched as the house filled with a buzz of activity.

He kept to his room, out of the way of the various servants, florists, caterers, and party planners that darted about the place, shouting about flower arrangements, and fairy lights, and how many spinach puffs and mini-quiche to plate for the guests.

To Yuri, it sounded less like a generic _party_ , and more like they were preparing for a wedding.

Worse still was how left out Yuri felt in listening to the preparations.

He didn't care.

He didn't _want_ to care.

But to insist on attending would mean allowing Otabek to mark him, and that was just _not_ happening.

As a result, Yuri did his best to avoid everyone and hide away. He supposed Otabek would have asked him to anyway, and this was one command that he had no issues following to a T. If word got out that an unmarked omega was wandering around the house, there would be hell to pay for it.

Yuri had avoided the library since _that day_ when he'd been cornered by that alpha, and now spent a lot of his time sleeping in his room, for he had nothing else to do. The one computer he'd seen—the iMac in Otabek's room—was password protected, so he couldn't peruse cat videos on the internet, and he had no access to a mobile phone. Unlike betas his age, who seemed incapable of living without their phones and internet, Yuri was not really ruffled by this. He'd been living in something close to poverty before his sixteenth birthday, and there had been no internet access in the Omega House—at least, not for the omegas. Yuri had never felt like he had missed out on much, but now with so little to do, he almost wished that he had a way to access the internet.

Of course, there was always the option of simply _asking_ Otabek for the password to his computer. But, he had not yet gotten desperate enough to ask Otabek for so much as a toothpick, much less access to the World Wide Web.

The day of the party, Yuri's halfhearted wanderings led him into the living room, barefoot and dressed in dark grey lounge pants and an oversized T-shirt. He had only just laid down on the sofa with the intent to stare blankly at the ceiling when he heard the soft shuffle of footfalls following him into the space, and he gritted his teeth when the soft sound was paired by a familiar alpha scent.

_Otabek._

Couldn't the man take a damn hint and leave him _alone_?

Yuri could see him approaching from where he lay, and thus felt no need to move. He did shuffle away when Otabek sat down near to Yuri's head, but a hand pressed into his sternum, and it stopped him from going very far.

“I have to wonder,” Otabek said, his expression impassive, “aside from your punishment, have you been so ill-treated here that it would warrant flinching every time I get close to you?”

Yuri sat up, and Otabek let him go. He curled up at the opposite end of the sofa and glared at the alpha. Still, Otabek's expression was carefully blank.

“Yes,” Yuri replied in a deadpan tone of voice, “you're keeping me here against my will—I'm your _prisoner._ I'd say that's reason enough.”

“You're not my prisoner,” Otabek replied, “you're my _mate_. I claimed you, but I do not own you. I wanted to wait for your request for me to mark you, but maybe I should have taken a more... _direct_ approach?”

“Wh-what?”

Otabek closed the distance between them in one fluid motion, and Yuri's breath caught. He could feel the power radiating off of him, and his latent omega senses hummed with pleasure in the presence of such a strong alpha. Heart in his throat, Yuri pressed himself back against the upholstery, but Otabek did not back off. He cupped Yuri's cheek and pulled him forward, his lips a hairsbreadth from the omega's, and Yuri squirmed in the hold, but Otabek did not let go.

“I've heard that some omegas respond best when taken to heel,” Otabek purred, his breath tickling over Yuri's mouth as he spoke, making the omega shiver. “Is that you? If I marked you right now, would you be less resistant to me?”

Panic began to bubble inside Yuri like molten lava. He reached up and clawed weakly at Otabek's chest, the fabric of his T-shirt bunching under his fingers, but the alpha was too strong for him, and it was like trying to move a brick wall with his bare hands.

“Don't,” Yuri whispered in a panic, “please, _please_ don't do this...”

Miraculously, Otabek listened, and let him go. He eased back against the sofa, still barely a foot away from the omega, but despite the close proximity, Yuri no longer felt like he was about to be assaulted.

“I'm not a monster, Yuri,” Otabek said, “I want you—I'm not about to give up on you.”

Before Yuri knew what was happening, Otabek swept in again and brushed his lips over Yuri's in a feather-light kiss. His breath caught again and his heart seemed to beat a little faster, but before he could fully process what had happened, Otabek was on his feet and headed out of the room.

 

~*~

 

Yuri spent the rest of the day on his own, and when evening began to fall, he was quietly approached by Stephenson.

“Master Yuri,” he said as he offered him a small, courteous bow. “I am afraid the Master is indisposed, and cannot see you to your rooms for the evening, but he asked that I escort you there. Your dinner as well as a miniature fridge of snacks and beverage have been sent up, and he has moved a number of his collection of video games and films to your room that he felt you would enjoy.”

Yuri pursed his lips, feeling oddly like he was being shuffled off to solitary confinement, but nodded and followed the butler out of the lounge where he had been brooding, and headed up to his room.

As they walked, Yuri caught sight of Otabek, apparently already prepared for the party in black tie, and Yuri felt himself go a little red as he quickly looked away, and tried to not think about how _good_ the man looked in a suit. Regardless if he was the most handsome man alive or had a face like a stone fish, Yuri knew that he was still his keeper, not his friend—and _definitely_ not his partner.

Inside the room, as promised, a huge spread of junk food had been laid out for him—pizza, soft drinks, fried potato wedges, and more—including, he noted, a plateful of pirozki.

The huge flat-screen TV that Yuri had paid little mind to up til now was also adorned with a Wii, Xbox, Blu-Ray player, and an enormous stack of video games and Blu-Ray discs. Next to it, he saw the aforementioned mini-fridge, and stacked on top of it were bags of chips, cookies, and candies.

To anyone else, it would have been viewed as a miniature paradise, but Yuri felt as though he could still see the cage bars through the gifts laid out before him.

This feeling only increased when Stephenson bowed his way out of the room, and Yuri heard the soft _snick_ of the lock shifting into place behind him.

“And still _Master Otabek_ is shocked when I tell him I feel like a fucking prisoner here...” Yuri sneered, and wandered over to the bed, where he fell down upon it with a heavy, despondent sigh.

_I want to go home..._

Immediately, thoughts of _home_ filled his mind.

His grandpa's tiny wooden shack by the seaside, where his grandfather worked as a fisherman, and spent his free time whittling and selling the tiny figures he made to high-end shops to bring in a little extra money. It always smelled of fried fish, and despite the fact that they rarely had enough to make ends meet, Yuri never recalled feeling depressed or miserable at that little house, not even without the presence of his parents.

Yuri couldn't remember his mother and father. He remembered the story, he couldn't count the number of times his grandfather had told it to him; his parents had driven off to go camping, and had left Yuri with his grandpa. There had been an accident, and both his parents had died before he could even walk.

Yuri had been with his grandfather ever since, and looking back, he still missed him terribly, no less than when he'd first been taken away to that first Omega House.

Yuri rolled onto his stomach with a heavy sigh, and stared out despondently at the sea of luxury before him. He could hear the first notes of music beginning to play from somewhere below him, and the soft murmur of the guests beginning to trickle in.

_I feel like someone's toy that's been discarded for the evening or something..._

Quite suddenly, he heard the shift of the lock of his door opening, but given that he could perfectly see the door from where he lay, he felt no need to move as he watched it swing open to admit...Yuuri.

Standing at his back was the silver-haired Viktor, while Stephenson stood to his left, holding the door for him. Viktor said something softly to Yuuri, but Yuri was too far away to hear exactly what it was. The dark-haired omega turned to the alpha, and they shared a quick kiss. Viktor placed a hand on Yuuri's hip, and the opposite one he used to gently caress Yuuri's cheek. He was smiling warmly at the omega, a look of pure, unhindered adoration on his face.

“Thank you, Stephenson,” Yuuri said to the butler at last, and he offered the omega a short bow before Yuuri stepped inside, and Stephenson shut the door behind him..

Yuuri looked more or less the same as the last time Yuri had seen him, if perhaps a little more well-groomed.

His old boxy, blue glasses were gone and they had been replaced with a more attractive pair of black horn-rimmed frames. His hair had been slicked back nicely, and he was dressed in a fine suit of black and violet. The thing about that drew Yuri's eyes the most however was the circular white scar that was visible at the base of Yuuri's throat.

_It was true,_ Yuri realized, _Yuuri had been marked._

“Um, hi Yurio,” Yuuri said nervously, and Yuri glared at him.

“I thought I told you not to call me that,” Yuri said as he stood up and padded over to his fellow omega.

“Sorry,” Yuuri mumbled, and dropped his gaze to his shiny patent leather shoes.

“Whatever,” Yuri rolled his eyes and motioned lazily with his hand towards the huge spread of food. “You hungry?”

 

The pair sat at the small table and ate their way through the offered junk that Otabek had left for them. Neither omega interacted very much, save for Yuri to smack Yuuri's hand away when he reached for the pirozki. It was a fancy, upscale version of his favourite food, and nowhere near as good as his grandfather's had been, but they were still pirozki, therefore they were _his_.

“Has...what-his-name...” Yuri paused, and Yuuri turned to look at his companion, apparently startled by his abrupt choice of topic after nearly a full hour of silence. “Uh, Vlad or whatever been treating you good?”

“ _Viktor_ ,” Yuuri corrected, his mouth twitching a little in the corners as he said it. “And...yes, I suppose. Overall I don't feel...” he trailed off, and shook his head. “It's confusing, you know? He marked me right away and when my heat started a few days later he took me to bed right away. I didn't really have time to process anything before he...” Yuuri broke off again, and shook his head. “He's never hurt me, and he made me feel like I wanted it, and he's really kind and generous and everything, but it still feels...like I'm trapped. Is that strange?”

“No, it's the same for me,” Yuri replied as he threw down the remnants of the pizza slice he'd been eating, his appetite suddenly gone. “Otabek acts like...like I'm his partner, or lover, or whatever you want to call it, and keeps saying he'll wait for _me_ to want to be marked by him, but he collared me and put a tracking chip in me, and when I tried to get out, he...” Yuri trailed off, and ground his teeth as he remembered it. A shiver ran through him; he was quite certain that he'd never forget what that pain had felt like.

“Yurio?” Yuuri prompted nervously, “what...what did he do?”

Yuri glanced up, and saw Yuuri watching him with a worried look in his eye. Yuri grimaced.

“He...beat me,” Yuri replied, and shivered. Yuuri's eyes went wide. “He said that he didn't want to, and he...he hit me really damn hard. I was black and blue for ages, and he kept saying that I brought it on myself...”

A warm hand suddenly covered his own, and he glanced down. Yuuri's hand was smaller than his, the older omega had dainty little hands, while Yuri's were longer—artist's hands, his grandfather used to call them. It looked oddly strange to him to see such small hands on top of his own.

“I'm sorry that he did that to you,” Yuuri said softly, and Yuri blinked hard as a lump suddenly began to form in his throat. Damn it, did he have to cry _now?_

“I just...” Yuri sniffed sharply, and tugged his hand away from the older omega to roughly rub at his eyes. “I just want to go _home._ I hate it here. But _he_ won't let me. I want to go home and make pirozki with my grandfather, and go out with him on his little trawler, and whittle with him, and... _God_ , I just...I hate being here, I feel like it's more than I can take.”

“Life of an omega,” Yuuri replied softly, “alphas believe that we exist for them—for their pleasure. According to them, we barely have independent thought. We're just pretty faces and small bodies for them to claim whenever they feel like it.”

Yuri nodded in agreement, and had opened his mouth to speak again. However, Yuuri beat him to it, and dropped something of a verbal bomb on their maudlin conversation.

“I'm pregnant.”

Yuri whipped around to look at him, and he looked just as terrified as the day that Viktor had claimed him. There was a harrowed, haunted look in his eyes, and he seemed to be looking right _through_ Yuri as he said it, blinded by his own fear at his uncertain future.

“Oh.” Yuri grimaced at how insincere he sounded. “Does... _he_ know?”

“Yeah,” Yuuri replied hollowly, “he's really excited. He said he's always wanted a big family, and that he'll take care of me during it and everything, but...I'm still so scared. This will completely bind us together. He's good to me, but I don't know if I even l-love him...I don't know if I ever _could_. I just...I have this crazy fantasy of running away to a place where it's safer for us, like...Denmark, or Sweden or somewhere, and raising this child with someone I actually love, not someone who just... _took_ me.”

“I know what you mean,” Yuri replied, and reached out for his hand. He had never been very good at offering kindness, or advice—he'd never been a caregiver. But Yuuri needed support, even Yuri could see how desperate and alone the omega was feeling. He squeezed Yuuri's hand, and the older man feebly returned the gesture.

“Come on,” Yuri said as he pulled Yuuri to his feet, then led him towards the almost comically large television. “Let's destroy our friendship.”

Yuuri blinked.

“Uh, what?”

Yuri held up the case for a video game, _Mario Kart_ , and Yuuri suddenly seemed to understand the reference. Chuckling, he nodded, and sat down on the sofa before the TV while Yuri went about setting it up.

“It's been so long since I've gotten to play any video games,” Yuuri said conversationally as he accepted a controller from Yuri. “Before...you know, the Omega House, I was so focused on making my parents happy, doing things that would make them remember me fondly, I never really did things for myself...”

“So you're saying you're rusty?”

Yuuri smiled. I was a light, almost bashful smile as the Wii booted up.

“A bit, I used to be okay at it, though.”

Yuri could not help but smirk a little.

_I will destroy you, Katsuki Yuuri._

 

_Okay, maybe destroy was a bit of an exaggeration..._

Yuri glared at the scores, while Mister I-Haven't-Played-In-Years smiled bashfully at his string of first-place victories.

“You are _so_ lying,” Yuri burst out as he abandoned all hope and selected the bane of every _Mario Kart_ player's existence— _Rainbow Road_. “You _must_ have played recently, you're too good!”

“No, really!” Yuuri protested as he eyed the course they were about to take nervously, “I haven't played since I was like fourteen...”

“I call bullshit,” Yuri grumbled, and his older companion offered him a small, apologetic smile. “Whatever, let's just get this over with.”

“Last one, please? My thumbs are starting to hurt...”

“Augh, _fine_ , Old Man. Winner picks the movie.”

“I can live with that,” Yuuri replied with a bright smile, and Yuri nodded once as he hit _start_.

Rainbow Road was still a bitch and a half, but Yuri was markedly pleased that he hadn't fallen off yet. That was a good thing, given that he and Yuuri were neck-and-neck in first and second place, frequently passing each other by a hair.

Yuri was grinding his teeth at this, but then—a miracle happened, and he made it over the speed boost, but Yuuri was on the bare edge of it. Yuri tilted the D-pad to the left, and rammed Yuuri off the road completely.

“Hey! No fair!” he cried as Princess Peach screamed all the way down, and Yuri let out a cackle.

“All's fair in love and war...and Mario Kart. Deal with it.”

Yuuri looked a little hurt, but kept playing as his character was revived, and dropped back on the road—in fifth place.

_I so got this._

Yuri smirked, and pushed Toad harder. He stopped checking Yuuri's side of the screen, and as the second lap gave way to the third, he heard Yuuri gasp sharply. Yuri ignored it—likely, the older omega just worked out that he'd never catch up, not this time.

Yuuri did, in fact, catch up. Yuri could see his little icon gaining on him as the finish line approached, but even in second place, there was _no way_ he would catch up in time.

Until he heard the telltale dissonant screeches bearing down on him that meant only _one_ thing.

“Oh, you _fucking_ asshole!” Yuri cried, but it was too late.

_I don't got this._

“ _Nooooo—!_ ” Yuri cried, much more dramatically than he meant to, as the blue shell slammed down into him, and he rolled right off the road as Yuuri zipped past.

He managed a measly fourth place, and sulkily tossed the controller down while Yuuri smiled at him sheepishly.

“Sorry, but...ah, I guess I win?”

“There should be a law against using the blue shell when your competitor is like two seconds away from the finish line,” Yuri grumbled. “That was _beyond_ criminal.” He crossed his arms, and nodded to the Blu-Ray discs Otabek had left. “Go pick something.”

Yuuri offered him one more meek smile, then got up and began to shuffle through the large stack.

“How about this?”

Yuuri held up one of the Blu-Ray discs, and Yuri did his best to not wrinkle his nose. _Why_ on earth did Otabek think he'd enjoy _Notting Hill_?

“It was your win,” Yuri replied stiffly, “you pick. If you want to watch it, we'll watch it.”

Yuuri offered him another one of his shy smiles, and went about turning on the Blu-Ray player and inserting the disc. He then grabbed the blanket from the bed and a box of mint Oreos before he settled back down next to his companion, and draped the blanket over the two of them, with the cookies in the middle.

“These would probably go better with hot chocolate or tea or something,” Yuri remarked as he ripped the box open and fished out one of the cookies.

“We could call Stephenson and ask—” Yuuri began, but Yuri was quick to cut him off.

“—no,” he said quickly. “I don't want to request _anything_ from that—from him. This is fine.” Yuri crammed the Oreo in his mouth and chomped down in an effort to end the conversation. Yuuri seemed to understand, at least somewhat, and started the film without comment.

Yuri found the lack of beheadings, blood splatters, or scary monsters extremely boring, and his eyes glazed over as he watched the screen and mechanically ate cookie after cookie until his stomach began to protest, and he pushed the box away with a small groan. Yuuri, on the other hand, seemed completely entranced by the film, and rested his chin on his knees as he watched, his eyes sparkling a little in the dim light of the room.

 

~*~

 

Exhausted by the stressful day, Yuri was quick to nod off, and Yuuri seemed to have become Sleepy By Association as he, too, fell asleep before the movie ended. Their heads rested against one another in slumber, while the empty cookie box tumbled to the floor and scattered crumbs all over the carpet.

Quite suddenly the door unlocked, but neither omega reacted to the _click_ the lock made as it shifted out of place. A pair of silhouettes framed in the doorway; they slipped inside one by one, and Viktor smiled warmly when he spotted the pair of omegas curled up together and dead to the world.

The alpha padded over to them quietly, and upon reaching them he reached out to stroke Yuuri's hair lovingly. The omega let out a tiny sigh, and leant into the touch.

Very carefully so as not to rouse him, Viktor peeled back the blanket and scooped Yuuri up bridal-style, with the omega's head resting lightly against the alpha's shoulder. The moment Yuuri was pulled away from the sofa, Yuri slumped to the side a little more, apparently still in a dead sleep, and did not seem to notice his companion's absence.

“We'll talk soon about getting together to let our omegas catch up,” Viktor whispered softly as he approached Otabek, who had been leaning against the door's frame and watching them silently. “Yuuri's been so depressed lately, I think it'd be good for him to have someone besides me to talk to...”

“They're not children, Viktor,” Otabek hissed just as softly, “we don't need to structure play dates for them. Just come by for coffee and bring Yuuri along; this doesn't need to be complicated.”

Viktor nodded his thanks, and then tip-toed out of the room with Yuuri still in his arms.

Otabek leant against the door's frame for a moment longer, and only when he distantly heard the front door shut did he turn into the room for his omega.

Yuri was still curled up on the sofa, cocooned inside the blanket, and he looked more peaceful than Otabek could recall ever seeing him before. Otabek padded over silently, and just like Viktor, he carefully scooped the omega up, and carried him over to the bed.

Otabek carefully tucked Yuri in, and then sat lightly on the edge of the bed, idly stroking his omega's soft, silky hair, while he undid his tie with his opposite hand.

_He probably has no idea how lovely he is..._ Otabek thought, a small smile gracing his face as he watched his omega sleep, _we'll make such beautiful children when the time comes..._

The idea of children, not for the first time, made Otabek's heart flutter with excitement. He longed to mark Yuri, to make love to him, and then see his belly swell with the fruits of their labour. Nothing— _nothing_ was more erotic to him than the idea of his Yuri heavy with child.

“I'll get you there, Yuri,” Otabek whispered, “I promise, no matter what, I won't do it until you feel ready...”

Yuri moaned, and rolled over a little. Otabek's hand stilled in his hair, but after a moment, he realized that the omega was still very much asleep.

“ _Home...Grandpa..._ ” Yuri mumbled in sleep, and Otabek felt his stomach knot with jealousy.

Before he did anything that he'd likely regret in the morning, he leant in to kiss his omega's temple, then stormed from the room.

 


	7. Getting To Know You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next week we're back to our usual updates, so I'll see you guys on September 19th. Thanks for reading! :)
> 
> **Trigger Warning:** About halfway through this chapter there is a scene that will be distressing to some readers, and deals with near-sexual assault.

Chapter Six – Getting To Know You

 

On the third week of Yuri's imprisonment in the vast, fortress-like home, he began to truly believe that he'd never find a way to escape this hell that he'd been forced into.

Yuri sat in one corner of the gardens under a willow tree, and he stared longingly at the border of thick woods that surrounded the property. According to Otabek, they were deep and dangerous, but often Yuri wondered if he'd been bluffing. He had no way to verify this, after all, given that he'd been unconscious during their trip _to_ the house, and his ridiculous shock collar would stop him from exploring it.

Yuri heaved a soft sigh, and drew his knees to his chest. Even at this angle, he could see the small bump on his forearm where the tracking device had been re-inserted following his punishment, and the mere sight of it made him feel positively sick with misery.

“Grandpa,” Yuri whispered softly, “I wish I could go home...”

Soft footfalls in the thick grass drew Yuri from his maudlin musings, but when he glanced up, no one was there. He frowned, and returned his gaze to the grass, picking at stray blades while he continued to brood.

Of course, his longing to see his grandfather was not the only thing plaguing his mind these days, and as Yuri sat there, his thoughts slowly drifted to the immediate future—sometime over the next week, he was due to start his monthly heat.

_And all those so-called_ promises _Otabek made to me will go flying out the window..._

Yuri shuddered.

“Yuri?”

Yuri tensed as his eyes flicked up, and he saw the _Master of the House_ approaching him. His eyes narrowed into a suspicious glare.

“What do _you_ want?”

Otabek did not immediately answer, but continued to stride forward, dressed casually (but attractively, Yuri noted with annoyance) in jeans, black boots, and a thin fitted black V-neck sweater. He sat down next to Yuri under the tree, close enough that their thighs brushed together. Yuri shifted to move away, but Otabek was too quick for him, and wrapped an arm around Yuri's waist to keep him there.

“I wanted to see how you were doing,” Otabek replied evenly, his free hand moving to stroke Yuri's hair, but he stopped short when the omega flinched at the light touch. “Your heat is coming up, and I'd assumed you were likely nervous about it. I wanted to reiterate that I've no plans to _take you_ , as it were, yet.”

_Of course that's what he wants to talk about._

“Yeah, right,” Yuri replied sarcastically, and snorted with disbelief. “You're a gentleman, right? You'll wait for your little catamite to crack under your advances, like Stockholm Syndrome? You'll wait for me to convince myself that I care about you, when it's just...delusion.”

“ _Don't_ call yourself that, Yuri,” Otabek said forcefully, with more emotion than Yuri had heard from him for a long while. He jumped a little at the sound of it, and again tried to lurch back, but Otabek's hold on him still kept him firmly in place. “You're not my _catamite,_ or slave, or anything like that. I am not in the business of breaking my promises, and I give you _my word_ that I will not touch you at this heat.”

Yuri snorted. _Yeah, sure._

When he did not speak, Otabek moved to sit at Yuri's back, with his legs pressed securely on the outside of his thighs. His arms wrapped around Yuri's middle, and he pressed his chin against his shoulder.

Yuri felt himself go rigid, and his eyes widened in fright. He screamed at his body to move, to get out of the embrace, but his body refused to cooperate, and he felt as though he'd been frozen in place.

A kiss brushed over Yuri's bonding gland, and he shivered.

“Tell me something about yourself,” Otabek said suddenly, his tone gentle, and Yuri blinked in confusion.

“Uh, what for?”

“You're my mate—or future mate, given that I haven't marked you yet—it's usually customary that those two people get to know one another, right?”

“What's the point?” Yuri asked as his lips tugged into a frown. “You've got my file from the Omega House. You already know everything there is to know about me.”

“A cold way of learning about a person,” Otabek replied, and kissed his neck again. “I want to _know_ you, Yuri. Help me do that.”

Yuri's mind warred following the gentle request.

On the one hand, he found himself somewhat touched that Otabek had chosen to ask such a thing, but on the other hand, his knee-jerk reaction was still to go against _everything_ that Otabek requested of him out of hand.

“I...” Yuri hesitated, “I like cats.”

“You like cats,” Otabek echoed, and Yuri nodded a little. As the alpha spoke, Yuri could feel his soft breaths tickling the back of his neck, and he did not like how it made him shiver.

“Um, yeah,” Yuri replied in the same awkward tone as before. “There were these stray kittens around my grandpa's house, and I used to feed them scraps. I could never keep any of them, we couldn't aff—I mean, uh, we just...couldn't, so I gave them scraps when I could.”

Yuri did not fail to notice how Otabek's arms seemed to tense around him at the mention of his grandfather, and he blinked in confusion at the reaction. He was unsure whether he cared enough to ask what had sparked it, but before he could decide one way or another, Otabek spoke up.

“Would you _like_ a cat, Yuri?” he asked, and Yuri scowled.

“I don't need your charity.”

“It's not charity,” Otabek replied, his tone tense, as though displeased at Yuri's terse response. “It would be a gift. I don't _expect_ anything from you because of it. I just want to see you smile, Yuri.”

Somehow, Yuri doubted that the sentiment was genuine, and did not respond.

“Tell me something else about yourself,” Otabek urged gently, and Yuri frowned.

“What for?” he repeated, and he heard Otabek sigh in frustration behind him.

“I _told_ you,” he replied in a tight, irritated tone. “I want to get to know you.”

“Gonna offer me another bribe gift from whatever I say?” Yuri asked snidely, and squirmed in the embrace, but Otabek did not let go. “Maybe I should say I'm a big fan of solid gold toilets or something next.”

“Oh for the love of—Yuri, that's _not_ what this is about!” at last Otabek let him go, and he jumped up to pace in front of the omega. “I want to get to know you. I don't make the rules about how omegas are treated in this country—I have _no_ control over that. It was time for me to claim a mate, and I chose you. _But_ I don't want to treat you like my whore, or my breeding stock, or whatever other stupid thing you're thinking of. I want you to be my _lover._ ”

“That's never gonna happen,” Yuri shot back, though this time it was paired with a twinge of guilt in his stomach at his own words, though he could not place why he felt that way. “I'll _never_ feel like anything but a prisoner here.”

Otabek looked like he wanted to say more, but instead he turned away from Yuri, and stormed off.

The moment he disappeared from view, Yuri relaxed, and he went back to his quiet brooding.

 

_~*~_

 

Otabek tried his _getting-to-know-you_ routine again the next day.

This time, Yuri had been in the lounge, curled up with his nose in a book. He smelt Otabek before he saw him.

“You never watch TV.”

Yuri glanced up and scowled.

“What?”

“You never watch TV,” he repeated, “you read a lot, but I never see you watch TV. Why is that?”

“In the Omega House we weren't allowed to,” Yuri explained in a mumble as he turned back to the novel in his hands. “The house Masters and Mistresses believed no alpha would want a drooling TV Zombie. We could read whatever we wanted, though.”

As his explanation petered out, he narrowed his eyes when he noticed Otabek approaching him. He sat at the end of the sofa, and reached for Yuri. Yuri flinched away, and Otabek eased back with a heavy, defeated sigh.

“What are you reading, then?”

“Why do you care?”

“How many times are you going to make me repeat myself?”

“Since I know it annoys you—every chance I get.”

Otabek scowled at that, but did not seem ready to give up—yet.

“I just want to _know_ you, Yuri. Is that so bad?”

“You have an ulterior motive,” Yuri deadpanned, “you just want me to bend over for you and let you knock me up. That is _not_ happening.”

Yuri felt Otabek's hand tense on his calf, and the tiniest of growls slipped past his clenched teeth.

“I don't need an ulterior motive to fuck you,” he said tightly. Yuri opened his mouth to respond with another acerbic remark, but yelped in surprise when the book was suddenly yanked from his hands, and he was flipped onto his back. In an instant, Otabek was on top of him, and he stared down at him with unabashed lust in his eyes.

“What—” Yuri began, but he was cut off when Otabek's mouth covered his in a hard kiss. Yuri lifted his hands to grapple at his chest and push him away, but the hard muscle under his palms would not budge.

“I don't need to listen to you,” Otabek purred in a dangerously soft tone of voice. “I'm an alpha, after all, _why_ would I need your approval to touch you? You _are_ mine, after all...”

He trailed off, and one of his hands brushed his inner thigh. Yuri's breath hitched with fright, and all his angry, caustic responses seemed to be lodged in his throat. He couldn't speak; he couldn't cry out; he could do _nothing_ but look on in horror as Otabek assaulted him.

“ _But..._ ” Otabek paused, and removed his hand from Yuri's leg. He sat back a little, and stroked Yuri's cheek with an unnervingly gentle caress. “Why would I want someone in my bed who fights me on it? You are a person, just like I am. To hurt you like that—to take you to bed when you truly do not want to be there...it sickens me, and it makes me angry that you feel like I'd do such a thing to you—to _defile_ you like that.”

Otabek touched his cheek again. There was a small, wistful smile on his face. If Yuri were to name the emotion he was seeing, he was certain that it'd be _longing._

“I'm sorry that you still feel like I wish to hurt you, Yuri,” he murmured, and pressed a light kiss to his temple. “We'll talk again soon.”

Yuri watched him go, his face a little pink, and it was only made worse when Otabek turned back a little, and offered him a small nod of acknowledgement, as though to intimate to Yuri that he knew he was being watched.

Embarrassed, Yuri turned back to his book.

 

_~*~_

 

“Stephenson tells me you are refusing your meals again.”

Yuri just barely managed to bite back a frustrated groan. Couldn't this guy taking a fucking _hint?_

“'M not hungry,” he replied sullenly, and turned away from Otabek and back to the book in his hands.

Otabek sat down on the sofa next to him, close enough that Yuri could feel his body heat, but far enough away that he wasn't physically touching him—yet. He very gently plucked the novel from Yuri's hands, marked his place, and set it aside, forcing Yuri's full attention onto the alpha next to him.

“Your heat's due to start soon, is that maybe why you're not eating? Is it stress?” Otabek asked, and Yuri scowled a little.

“What do you think?” Yuri asked sarcastically, and he saw Otabek's jaw muscles twitch in annoyance. When he did not respond, Yuri barrelled forward. “I'm trapped in a fortress-like house with just an alpha for company, and at some point soon I'll smell like a fucking...like...like a dessert table or something to you. And you'll...” Yuri broke off and shuddered.

At first, Otabek did not speak, but reached out to close his hands over Yuri's. He felt the colour rise in his cheeks from the tender touch, and his gaze flicked nervously from their intertwined hands to the alpha's dark, unreadable gaze.

“Part of your stress is a lack of physical contact, and the fact that every time I've tried to touch you, you panic, doesn't help,” Otabek said in an even tone of voice. “If you let me hold you, or kiss you, or anything, your instincts will calm. Part of you craves the touch of an alpha, even if the rational part of your mind claims it doesn't.

“As I've told you—I won't take you to bed until you're ready. I meant that, Yuri.” Otabek paused, and his hand tickled its way up Yuri's arm, stopping only when he was cradling the omega's cheek. He unconsciously leant into the touch, but the second he realized what he was doing, he froze and pulled back. Otabek shifted closer, and pulled Yuri into a gentle embrace before he continued. “It's pretty clear that you're not ready for me, or this, or however you want to phrase it, and so I won't do it. I _promise_.”

Yuri pressed his cheek to Otabek's chest, and lifted a hand to twist it in the fabric of his T-shirt. He didn't know whether he wanted to push the alpha away or not. He sounded sincere, but how sincere would he be when his heat finally came? He'd heard horror stories of alphas completely losing themselves when the heat came for their omegas, and Yuuri was a prime example—he hadn't been with Viktor for more than a week, and he'd already been knocked up.

A gentle kiss brushed his temple, and Yuri shivered as Otabek's hand ran up and down his back.

“I promise, Yuri,” he repeated. “I _promise_ that I won't hurt you when your heat comes.”

Yuri wished that he could believe it.

 

_~*~_

 

It came sooner than Yuri had expected, likely a side-effect of his recent extreme stress, and he woke abruptly in the middle of the night in severe pain.

His insides felt as though they were seizing, and he let out a low moan as he curled up on his side, and clenched his eyes shut. He could feel the confusing arousal beginning to assert itself through the agonizing pain, and the dampness upon his pyjama bottoms only made everything even more humiliating.

The knob of Yuri's bedroom door rattled, and he felt himself go cold.

_Oh no._

“No, no, no, _please_...” Yuri whimpered, far too lost in his pain to put up any sort of fight, and he curled up in a tighter ball when he heard the door open, then a moment later he felt the bed dip at his feet.

“Yuri,” Otabek said, the low timbre of his voice enough to make him tremble. His arousal seemed to spike when the scent of _alpha_ hit his nose, and tears stung his eyes.

_I don't want this,_ he thought desperately, but his body did not seem to be listening as his arousal became more acute.

“Yuri, please, look at me,” Otabek said softly, and Yuri jerked when he felt one of the alpha's warm hands brush his side.

“No, please,” Yuri repeated, but cracked one eye open to see Otabek sitting there, his expression glazed over with lust, and he seemed to be trembling slightly. He was also holding something out to him—a prescription pill bottle, and a glass of water.

“What is that?” Yuri croaked, and Otabek smiled a little.

“Omegproprion,” he explained, and Yuri felt his breath hitch in surprise. It was a medication for young omegas under the care of an alpha—it did not only suppress their heat scent, but alleviated some of the pain as well. Yuri had taken it when he'd first arrived at the Omega House, but it lost its effectiveness the older he got. As though reading his mind, Otabek continued, “this is an adult version—a little harder to come by in this country, I had to send away for it, but it should help.”

Yuri accepted the drugs and water, and downed two of the little pills quickly.

“Thank you,” Yuri rasped, and was surprised that he meant it, too. He set down the two items on the bedside table, and curled back up with a shiver.

“You're welcome, Yuri,” Otabek replied softly, while his hand moved to the small of his back. “Where do you hurt?”

“Just—just my back,” Yuri mumbled, and tensed when he felt Otabek slip his hot hand beneath the baggy T-shirt, and began to rub the tense muscles that he found there.

“ _Don't_ ,” Yuri whispered urgently, and he felt overwhelmed with shame when tears pricked his eyes again. “Please— _please_ don't touch me.”

“Yuri, you're in pain,” Otabek replied just as softly, “I want to help you.”

_If you really wanted to help me, you'd release me,_ Yuri thought miserably, but bit back the response. He tried to shuffle away from Otabek's hand, and the alpha seemed to catch the hint. With a defeated sigh, he retracted his hand.

“What can I do?” Otabek asked, and the wayward hand moved to his hair, where he brushed the sweaty strands from Yuri's eyes. “I hate that you're suffering.”

Yuri couldn't help it—he snorted derisively.

“You didn't hate my suffering when you dragged me here against my will, or beat me, or locked me away like a toy. You just want to _help_ because I'm in heat, and you want to—” Yuri broke off with a soft hiss of anger, and he curled up in a tighter ball, and refused to look at the alpha. “Just stay away from me.”

“Fine.”

Following the cold response, Otabek's weight finally lifted from the bed, and he stormed to the door, slamming it shut behind him.

 


	8. Missteps

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next update will be Tuesday, September 26th.

Chapter Seven – Missteps

 

“I hate this.”

Yuuri slowed to a stop and turned to look at Yuri, his head cocked to the side.

“Hate what?”

“ _This!_ ” Yuri gestured wildly with his arms, “I feel like a child, with them _watching_ us like that.”

Yuuri turned away from Yuri and glanced over to where Otabek and Viktor had been watching them surreptitiously from across the gardens, and doing a very bad job of hiding it. Otabek was nursing a beer, while Viktor was drinking tea from a truly horrid floral teacup. Viktor was smiling indulgently at the pair of omegas, while Otabek seemed to be glaring at the tabletop.

It had been just over two months since Yuri had seen Yuuri last, and the older omega overall looked the same, if a bit more anxious than usual. Yuri wasn't certain the same could be said for him—he felt completely wiped out after coming down from his second miserable heat in Otabek's company. It had played out very much like the first—Otabek waited until the heat actually hit before he offered Yuri the suppressants, as though hoping Yuri may have suffered some sort of extreme brain damage that would cause him to _welcome_ Otabek's touch, and not reject him again.

Needless to say, it had been another miserable heat, where Yuri all but begged Otabek to leave him be.

“Viktor's just...protective,” Yuuri replied awkwardly, his face flooding with colour as he spoke, and he looked away from the alphas to focus his gaze on his feet.

“I'll bet,” Yuri said sarcastically. “Protective of his offspring, maybe, but what about _you?_ ”

“He cares for me...I—I think,” Yuuri answered awkwardly, and moved a hand to the mark on his throat; the movement seemed to be unconscious, rather than deliberate. “I mean, he's good to me, I'm not afraid of him or anything, and...he's just...eccentric? He's a little weird and over-the-top at times.”

“Is that Japanese for _he tries too hard_?”

Yuuri smiled weakly.

“Just a little.”

They kept walking, staying out of earshot of the two alphas, though they kept their eyes on the omegas like two birds of prey. Yuri kept an eye on Yuuri, and could not help but notice how often his hand strayed to his abdomen, which was still completely flat.

“You...uh, go see the doctor yet?” Yuri asked awkwardly, and nodded towards Yuuri's stomach. He seemed to pale a little at the words, and nodded meekly.

“Yeah.”

“And...?”

“It's...it's...I'm looking at a C-section,” Yuuri replied weakly, and Yuri blinked in confusion.

“What? Why?”

“Well...” Yuuri paused, and swallowed audibly. “Um...the doctor didn't find one heartbeat...he found _three_.”

“Oh... _oh_. Ow.” Yuri winced. “I don't like the idea of pushing _one_ out of my...but _three_?”

“Viktor's even more excited than he was before, but I have to be extra careful I don't tire myself out and stuff. He's sort of given _overbearing_ a whole new meaning.”

“Oh, that sounds like fun.” Yuuri smiled weakly at Yuri's sarcasm. “How do _you_ feel about it, though?”

“Mostly? Still scared,” Yuuri admitted, his hands still on his abdomen as he dropped his gaze again. “The idea of having to be a dad to three kids instead of one...what if I'm a bad dad? What if Viktor's working too much to help me? What if something happens and they _die_?”

“Yuuri, breathe,” Yuri said quickly when it looked like Yuuri was a step away from having a total mental breakdown. “First, you're a great caregiver. You took care of me when I first got to the Omega House, and I was a fucking wreck. I'm sure if you can handle me, you can handle three babies.” Yuri paused, then offered Yuuri a small smirk, “besides, they're not just Viktor's kids...they're yours, too. Their first words will probably be _sorry_.”

Yuuri chuckled weakly, he but did not contradict him.

“I suppose it'd be easier to deal with if we didn't feel like...their kept boys or something,” Yuri continued, and cast a quick glare over to where the alphas sat. Otabek still was staring at his feet, and it looked as though he hadn't touched his beer.

“Otabek never takes you out?” Yuuri asked, and Yuri shook his head. “Maybe...maybe that's because he hasn't marked you yet? Viktor takes me out a lot, but...”

“But what?”

“Well...he says he likes having me on his arm, so maybe I'm just his...what's the word... _arm candy_?”

“Alphas are so charming,” Yuri added, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “You could replace us with blow-up sex dolls and they wouldn't know the difference.”

Yuuri smiled weakly at that, but he didn't answer. Instead, he turned his attention to the scenery as he eased down under the willow tree at the edge of the property, the same one that Yuri was so fond of. They sat almost out of sight of the two alphas, and as Yuri eased down next to his companion, he spotted the alphas moving their table to keep them in view.

“Maybe Otabek hasn't taken you anywhere because of this...?” Yuuri reached out and touched the obedience collar, and Yuri flinched a little. He still hated the damn thing and wanted it _off_ , but he hadn't yet worked out how to do that. “Sorry,” Yuuri said quickly, “I just mean, maybe he's worried that you'll run, or get taken away by another alpha, since he hasn't marked you yet?”

“And so his solution is to lock me away here until I go insane from the solitude, since the only time he ever talks to me is when he wants to discuss my heats or whatever...” Yuri mumbled miserably, and glanced over to the pair of alphas again. This time, he caught Otabek watching them, and he narrowed his eyes into a glare.

Otabek looked away.

“Yurio, I know it's not the greatest situation in the world...but...maybe let him in, just a little?” Yuuri asked timidly, “I mean...things with Viktor are...confusing, but he's nice, and he takes care of me. Otabek wants to take care of you, I can see it—we _all_ can. What do you have to lose by letting him...you know...be close to you?”

“You mean besides by body autonomy?” Yuri asked snidely, and Yuuri flinched. The older omega's hand immediately moved to his abdomen, and Yuri felt the first tendrils of guilt worm in his stomach.

“Fuck, Yuuri, I'm sorr—”

“—no,” Yuuri interrupted with a small smile, “it's all right— _you're_ right. I mean, maybe it's not the most healthy thing in the world, but...Viktor makes me happy. He does all he can to make me feel cared for, and I'd hate to see you alone and miserable out here because you and Otabek can't find some sort of common ground.”

“I think he thinks he's being _noble_ , letting _me_ choose when I'm marked,” Yuri muttered, and glared down at the grass.

“In a way, he sort of is,” Yuuri replied meekly. “I mean, Viktor marked me practically the second he took me home, and Otabek letting you acclimate to this life before...it's nice. I think it's sweet.”

“Sweet? _Sweet?”_ Yuri sputtered, and the older omega recoiled a little in alarm at Yuri's tone of voice. “What the hell is wrong with you? He's just...he's trying to break me so that I'll say _yes._ I can't—I _won't_ let that happen. I'm not going to turn into his...his...whore and his brood mare. I can't do that—I _won't_.”

 

~*~

 

When Yuuri left that evening, the possessive arm of his alpha draped over him, Yuri could not help but feel a distinctive loss as he watched them descend to Viktor's painfully flashy red convertible and speed away.

A hand at the small of Yuri's back made him jump a little, and he whirled around to see Otabek frowning at him. Yuri glared, and stepped out of his reach.

“Leave me alone,” Yuri growled, and moved to storm away, but Otabek was too fast for him. Otabek grabbed his forearm, the hold just firm enough to keep Yuri from breaking free, but not hard enough to be painful.

“Let me go, asshole,” Yuri growled, and Otabek's scowl deepened.

“No,” he replied firmly, and half-dragged a protesting Yuri down the hall and into the parlour. He did not stop until they reached the antique leather settee, and he forced Yuri down onto it.

“Yuri, I have tried to be nice, I have tried to give you space, I have tried to be close to you, I have tried to give you what you need to be happy here,” Otabek said, a note of frustration in his voice. “ _What_ will it take to make you happy?”

“Let me go home.”

“You _are_ home.”

“No, I'm not, when are you going to get that through your thick skull?” Yuri snarled, his eyes narrowed in his fury, “I'll never, _never_ see this as home. This is a _prison_. My home is that tiny shack by the sea, with my grandfather, and it reeks of fish and wood smoke, and there's barely enough room for the two of us but I don't care because _that's_ home, and I haven't been there for five years, and it's likely that I never see it again, thanks to you. If you won't let me go home, send me back to the Omega House, I don't care, but I _don't_ want to be here.”

Otabek stared at Yuri following his rant. His gaze was clouded, dark, and very close to fury. Yuri did not back down, but glared right back at him.

Suddenly, Otabek lurched forward, almost as though he'd intended to make a grab for Yuri, but stopped himself short, and with an angry shout he jumped up and stormed from the room.

Yuri watched him go, his skin tingling with nervousness.

He couldn't quite explain why, but he felt as though he'd dodged some kind of bullet.

Still shaking a little, Yuri decided to make an early night, and hastened from the parlour and up to his bedroom.

 

~*~

 

_Movement._

_A strange jostling, and Yuri could feel arms across his back and under his knees, like he was being carried somewhere._

_He cracked his eyes open. Above him the silhouette of Otabek was thrown into sharp relief by the dim lights, which were whisking past them steadily._

“ _O-Otabek?” Yuri croaked sleepily, “what are you doing?” Yuri blinked up at the figure above him, and he hushed the omega._

“ _Shh, my Yuri,” he murmured softly, “you're dreaming, go back to sleep...”_

 

~*~

 

When Yuri woke the next morning, it was so early that it was still pitch-black outside. The sky was a deep indigo, and Yuri could hear the soft chirping of songbirds greeting the day. He was momentarily overwhelmed by confusion by what had woken him, but after a moment, he realized—this was not _his_ room.

It was then that Yuri became acutely aware of the gentle weight of an arm across his ribs, and a warm body at his back.

Yuri's eyes bulged in sudden understanding.

_I'm in Otabek's room_ , he thought.

_I wasn't dreaming._

_He really was in my bedroom last night._

How strange that the thought did not distress him in the same way it normally would have.

_No, no, no._ Yuri shook his head a little, careful to not wake the alpha. _I can't think like that. That's what he_ wants, _for me to break down and let him in. I'm still waking up, I'll start panicking any minute now._

“ _Yuri..._ ”

His name was vocalized like a sigh, and he whipped around to face Otabek, only to find him still in a dead sleep.

_Is he...dreaming about me?_

Otabek sighed again, and seemed to unconsciously shift closer, as though keen to eliminate the space between them. Yuri froze, startled, and uncertain what to do, while he watched as Otabek snuggled close, and seemed to radiate sleepy contentment.

“ _Yuri..._ ” he mumbled again, but beyond that, he did nothing else.

His voice softly speaking his name made Yuri's heart flutter in a strange, uncomfortable sort of way, and he was glad that Otabek was asleep, and would not see this reaction.

 

~*~

 

Yuri could not recall falling asleep again, but just as suddenly he found himself waking up, and bright autumn sunshine was filtering in through the huge bay window.

He was not alone in the bed; Otabek was stretched out next to him, on his side with his head cradled in his hand, and elbow braced against the mattress. Yuri could feel the soft tickle of the alpha stroking his hair, and he hated how his body seemed to come alive from the gentle touch.

“Morning,” Otabek said when Yuri's eyes fluttered open, and he smiled warmly down at the omega.

“Morning,” Yuri croaked, while Otabek continued to stroke his hair lightly. Yuri closed his eyes again; it felt nice, and he felt far too groggy to protest it—yet.

“I took the liberty of asking Stephenson to bring us breakfast in bed,” Otabek hedged awkwardly, “I wanted to talk to you somewhere comfortable, and I figured you'd be more open to it if there's coffee and pastries involved.”

Yuri's knee-jerk reaction was still to go against anything and _everything_ that Otabek said, but at the mention of food, his stomach gave an audible gurgle. He deflated a little, but still eyed Otabek distrustfully.

“...what kind of pastries?”

“Strudel, danish, turnovers, croissants...” Otabek reached for his bedside table and produced a platter of a number of different pastries, some with fruit filling, some drenched in icing, and the croissants seemed to be of the chocolate variety, with its tips dipped in dark, tempered chocolate.

Yuri eyed the tray uncertainly as he sat up and crossed his legs. Immediately, Otabek balanced the buffet of fat and carbs across Yuri's knees, and the omega licked his lips as his stomach growled again.

“This doesn't mean I've forgotten that you basically kidnapped me from my own bed last night to bring me in here,” Yuri warned, “I'm just...not awake enough yet to be mad at you.”

“That's fine,” Otabek replied in a mild tone, as though wholly unbothered by Yuri's promise of an impending temper tantrum. “Coffee?”

“Please. Black.”

Otabek lifted a sleek French Press off the night stand, and filled one of the available mugs. Yuri accepted it from the alpha, and felt his face flood with colour when their fingers lightly brushed together.

_He did that on purpose..._

The thought did not improve Yuri's mood, but as he sipped the hot drink, it took all of his strength to not moan out loud.

_This isn't coffee,_ Yuri thought dazedly, _this is the nectar of the Gods._

“Is it good?” Otabek asked, and Yuri cursed inwardly. How much he liked it must have shown on his face.

“It's all right,” he replied simply, and picked up the chocolate croissant. “Uh...what did you want to talk about?”

“Well...us.”

Yuri definitely saw that one coming.

“What about this time?” Yuri asked sourly as he bit into the croissant, and nearly choked in surprise, for there was a full-sized _brownie_ in the centre of the thing.

“Well...how much do you know about alphas?” Otabek asked, “I mean, how we differ from omegas and things like that?” He spoke in a light, unassuming tone while he filled his own cup and began to sip it, though made no attempt to close the distance between them, or help himself to any of the available pastries.

“All I've ever been told about you alphas is that you're big, sex-crazed brutes who are obsessed with having children,” Yuri replied, his voice thick, given that his mouth was still full of food. To his response, Otabek frowned a little.

“I wouldn't say _sex-crazed,_ but for me, the children part is fairly accurate. It's something that I want very much, Yuri.” Yuri opened his mouth to respond in anger, but Otabek continued before he had a chance to. “ _But_ that's not to say I want to pressure you into it before you feel ready. I stand by my intent to wait until you want it, not just me.”

“You'll be waiting a long time...” Yuri muttered under his breath, but if Otabek caught the comment, he didn't react to it.

“Anyway,” the alpha continued, “there's other things, too. When there's an unbonded omega nearby, even out of heat, it can be disorienting, especially if we're interested in that omega—that's part of why the Omega House program exists, to protect omegas from rape, and to help the alphas feel less...well, fucked up.”

“What do you mean by...disorienting?” Yuri asked uncertainly as he gazed up at Otabek.

“You know that feeling when your blood sugar is low, and you're very dizzy, you can't focus on anything, but the second you sit and eat, your head clears?”

“Um...I think so...”

“Well, when I smell you, but I can't go near you, it's kind of like that,” Otabek said, and reached for Yuri. He flinched slightly, but the alpha did nothing more than brush a few blond strands from his eyes. “The moment I get to touch you, even if it's something as simple as this, it's like a healing balm or something. I feel so... _alive_.”

Yuri felt a blush rise in his cheeks, and he stared down into his coffee mug. He knew what Otabek wanted in the grand scheme of things, but as to what he was getting at from this conversation, he was drawing a blank.

“I'm not sure what you want from me, here,” Yuri mumbled, and squirmed uncomfortably. His knee-jerk reaction was still to rebel against anything and everything Otabek had to say, but this morning he felt far too drained to go forward with his usual routine of being as big a pain in the ass as he possibly could. At the same time however, speaking to Otabek softly like this was making his pride bristle with negation. The whole thing left Yuri feeling terribly confused and unsettled.

“I want you to give me a chance, and I want you to come back to our bed,” Otabek said, his voice soft, but Yuri could easily discern the pleading tone in it.

Suddenly, he didn't feel so hungry.

“So you can _groom_ me to be your baby factory?” Yuri sniped as he set down the coffee on the night table, pushed the tray away, and gathered his legs to his chest.

He remembered now why he _hated_ Otabek.

Yuri buried his face in his knees, and shivered when he felt a large hand brush through his hair. Like before, it tickled his scalp, and he hated how calming the tiny action was. It wasn't _fair_. He didn't _want_ to be calmed by Otabek, he wanted his hatred of the alpha to be pure.

But the more time that passed however, the more confusing his feelings towards Otabek became.

“I don't want you to be any more or less than yourself, Yuri,” Otabek murmured, and Yuri shivered when he felt a kiss brush against his temple. Yuri's arms tensed around his legs, and he did not move. “All I want from you right now is the honour of holding you at night as you sleep—protecting you, if you'd let me.”

“I can take care of myself,” Yuri cut in, his voice muffled slightly by the fact that he hadn't lifted his face from his arms. He heard Otabek chuckle, and the bed shifted as the alpha moved to sit behind him, and resumed stroking Yuri's hair.

He could feel the lift and fall of his hair as Otabek's fingers carded through the blond locks, and Yuri shivered a little. It felt nice. He _hated_ that it felt nice.

“I know that you can, Yuri, but sometimes it's okay to let someone else take care of you, too.”

“Someone like _you_ , maybe?” Yuri asked; he'd meant the words to be cutting, but they came out more feeble as his body responded to the alpha's gentle touch against his scalp. It was so calming, like Otabek was draining all the fight out of him. Yuri tried to muster up some anger for his situation, for how Otabek had snuck him into his own bed without his consent, but it wouldn't come. He felt calm, and pliant, and Otabek seemed to know it, too. Yuri couldn't be sure of this, of course, given that from his current position he couldn't see Otabek's face, but somehow, strangely, Yuri was certain that he could _sense_ it.

“Yes,” Otabek answered smoothly, “someone like me. I _do_ care for you, Yuri. I wouldn't have chosen you if I didn't want you in my life. Is it really so bad?”

“Yes,” Yuri deadpanned. “You chose me like a shirt off a rack. That's not really how dating is supposed to work.”

“We are alpha and omega,” Otabek pointed out, “we aren't betas. Our social interactions are not the same.”

“Easy for you to say,” he mumbled in reply, “you're not the one enslaved, here.”

“You're _not_ my slave,” Otabek growled, the danger in his tone so intense that Yuri jumped a little in surprise at the sound of it. The alpha's hands dropped to Yuri's waist, and he held tightly to him, not unlike a child with their treasured toy. “If you were, I could just _order_ you into my bed, and _order_ you to carry my children. Instead, I am _asking_ , and trying to win your affection.”

Yuri glared into the crook of his arms, and wondered whether it was worth pointing out that his attempts to _win_ him, as he put it, involved leaving him in seclusion with no one but _him_ to talk to. He'd been to school long enough to know what _psychological torture_ was.

Trouble was, he couldn't remember how to properly fight against it.

A hand brushed Yuri's cheek, and he jumped. The angle told him that Otabek was now in front of him, not behind him, but he couldn't recall feeling the alpha move.

Yuri looked up reluctantly, the change in lighting enough to make his eyes sting, and he gazed up at the alpha— _his keeper—_ nervously. What was he planning? His face was always so blank, and Yuri often found that his actions were scarily unpredictable, and he'd only realized that he'd gone too far when Otabek snapped.

At the present moment, Otabek's expression was the same impassive one Yuri had come to know so well. This time, there was a note of tenderness to the look, and it caused a shiver to run through him.

What did Otabek want? What was Yuri supposed to _say_?

Unconsciously, Yuri inched backward.

Otabek reached out for him, his expression shifting from tender to mournful.

“Yuri, _please_...”

“Please _what?_ ” Yuri asked nervously, and watched as Otabek inched forward to close the distance between them again. Yuri froze, his breath stilled, and he felt once more that strange combination of fear and want overwhelm him as Otabek's hot hands closed over his own, and the alpha's lips stopped scant inches from Yuri's.

“Can we start again?” Otabek asked, his breath tickling over Yuri's lips. “I want you in my life, not just my bed. The only time we ever see each other is when I want to discuss things regarding this claim or my hope to have children with you. I think maybe that was the wrong approach. I was trying to give you space, but I think I created more of a rift, and made you think I _only_ wanted you around for one thing.”

“Um...what did you have in mind?”

“Viktor is throwing a party next week, and he's invited a handful of mated alphas to the event. Sort of a pre-baby shower shower thing. I wasn't going to go since things between us are so tense, but...would you come with me?”

Yuri bit his lip.

To go meant _finally_ to escape this house, even if only for a little while, but it also meant that he'd have to play the part of a happy little omega hanging on the arm of his alpha, which didn't exactly sit well with him either.

“You won't be expected to hang onto my arm the whole time, and there'll be no free alphas there, so there's no worry that someone might try to take you from me.” Otabek murmured softly, and he reached out to card his fingers lightly through Yuri's hair.

_There's no worry that someone might try to take you from me._

Yuri frowned; in that simple sentence, Otabek proved once more that he still did not see Yuri as anything more than his possession—something to _own_. How could Yuri even _contemplate_ being with someone who felt that way about him? If he were to be with _anyone_ , he wanted to be on equal footing with him, not this freak show.

The thought made Yuri feel—if possible—even more depressed, but with Otabek hovering over him and waiting for an answer, he knew he wouldn't be able to brood in peace until he responded to the alpha's request.

“I'll think about it,” Yuri said at last, and Otabek's face broke into a brilliant, sunny smile. He brushed his lips over Yuri's in a soft kiss, then slipped from the bed and headed for the adjoining bathroom.

The moment Yuri heard the rush of the shower running, he wasted no time, and bolted from the room.

 


	9. Cold Truths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Just wanted to give another shoutout to my amazing readers, and your insightful, invested comments. It's always exciting to see how into this story you guys are, and every time I update, I get so excited to see what you guys have to say. That said, thank you, a hundred times, thank you for your continued support of this story, and I'll see you guys next week, October 3rd with the next update.
> 
> **Possible Trigger Warning:** This chapter contains reference to rape, abuse, and spousal abuse.

Chapter Eight – Cold Truths

 

In the end, Yuri had agreed to accompany Otabek to the party.

Of course, to Otabek this meant that Yuri was _finally_ accepting him, at least a little. However, Yuri had an ulterior motive in mind when he had accepted the invitation.

To get out of the house and travel to the home of Viktor Nikiforov meant that they would need to travel _away_ from this place, and unlike before, this time Yuri would be conscious for it, and he'd be able to see for himself just how far from civilization he really was. This would give him ample opportunity to work out an escape route for when he _finally_ managed to get his damn collar off.

In an effort to keep Otabek from suspecting his true intent, Yuri also agreed to return to 'their' bed. It was uncomfortable, and sleeping next to this man, allowing himself to be _held_ by his gaoler was enough to make his skin crawl.

Yuri kept his face carefully blank at all times, and he kept his responses in conversation with Otabek short and simple. Yuri often worried that if he allowed himself to go more in depth with his answers, his pleasant charade would shatter like a car window. If this bothered Otabek at all he never let on, for which Yuri was deeply grateful. Associating with the alpha on any level was stressful enough, and if Otabek were to further complain about his attitude, Yuri was certain that he would crack.

 

On the evening of the party, Stephenson escorted Yuri back up to Otabek's room, where an expensive-looking suit had been laid out for him.

_Pretty wrappings for your toy omega,_ Yuri thought sourly as he snatched up the clothes and hurried down the hall to the spare bedroom that he'd claimed for himself some weeks prior, and did his washing up there.

Much to his annoyance, the suit fit perfectly, like it was made just for him (and most likely, it probably was). It was a simple white shirt, black blazer and pants, leather shoes—and a black necktie.

Which was where he hit something of a snag in getting himself ready.

The tie was a tangled mess, and even after untying and retying the thing over half a dozen times, he still couldn't get it to look right.

“Oh _fucking_ hell,” Yuri snarled to himself as he tried again. “What omega knows how to do this shit? We're too busy being taken away from our families and being treated like harem boys to learn something like this...would it be _that_ bad to let me use a goddamn clip-on?”

“Having trouble?”

Yuri turned towards the door, and just barely managed to bite back a groan at the sight of Otabek leaning against the door's frame, his arms crossed, and a small smile of amusement upon his face. Yuri bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from spitting out a caustic remark as he nodded sullenly. Otabek arched an eyebrow at him, but when he didn't respond, he asked, “...can I help?”

Seeing no alternative to his situation Yuri nodded a little, and Otabek moved over to him in three long strides. He looked rather pleased with himself as he stood at Yuri's back and circled his arms around to the omega's front. Yuri dropped his arms, and Otabek took hold of the length of silk for him.

“Just watch,” Otabek said in a low voice, and Yuri shivered at the pleasant way the alpha's breath tickled across his cheek. He watched, transfixed, as Otabek looped the necktie around and through a variety of what seemed to be very complicated knots, and within thirty seconds, it had been tied, and rested nicely against the base of his throat. The second he'd finished Otabek stepped back from Yuri, and he gently turned the omega around to face him. Yuri reluctantly complied, and he felt his face burn as Otabek's eyes roamed over his form, presumably to check that he was dressed appropriately, or to just ogle him, Yuri wasn't completely sure.

Otabek reached out, and he very gently lifted the collar from its hiding place just under the top of Yuri's shirt, and rested it a little higher on his throat so that it was more prominently displayed.

“You're ashamed that I've claimed you?” Otabek asked mildly, and he arched an eyebrow at Yuri.

A million insults raged through Yuri's mind in mere seconds.

“Do you _really_ want me to answer that?” Yuri asked in a similar, even tone. Otabek pressed his lips together in clear annoyance, but did not comment.

“Come on,” he said gruffly, “I want you to have your hair done before we leave.” He took Yuri's hand without waiting for a response, and led him from the room.

 

Getting his hair done was not the traumatic experience that Yuri had been anticipating, although it was certainly awkward. The hairdresser (who Otabek seemed to have hired for the afternoon) was a chatty, airheaded older woman who wore too much makeup, and tried more than once to get Yuri to chat with her. She gave up when all she got in response were terse, one or two-word answers, and instead focused on doing his hair.

It didn't take very long, and was comprised mostly of her washing his hair (even though he already had) and working some sort of tropical-smelling product into it before blow-drying it to make it sleek and shiny. She then worked two braids into his hair, one on either side of his head, before pulling the lot into a high ponytail.

“Well?” she asked as she brushed away the few loose strands that had fallen out of their braids and into his eyes. “What do you think?”

_What does it matter what I think?_

“It's fine, I guess,” Yuri replied, and grimaced at his feeble tone. When had he gotten so _weak?_

_Otabek hasn't domesticated me,_ Yuri thought fiercely while he tried to ignore the way his eyes had begun to burn. _I'm just exhausted, that's all. My fight is still there, I'm just...biding my time._

Just as Yuri was beginning to calm down, Otabek made an appearance. He was dressed in an all-black ensemble, with his hair slicked away from his face.

Yuri's breath caught, and he tried to ignore how _warm_ the room suddenly felt.

_He cleans up pretty well, I'll give him that,_ Yuri thought as Otabek nodded his head once in approval, and held out his arm to the omega.

Yuri's insides tingled with negation, and his instinct was still to run _away_ from him. Doing anything at all that might please Otabek was still high on Yuri's list of things he did _not_ want to do.

However, the lure of seeing Yuuri again and supporting him during this so-called _party_ was enough to spur him forward, and he reluctantly stepped up to the alpha and took his arm.

“You look good,” Otabek murmured as he began to lead Yuri away, a small smile twitching at the corners of his mouth. Yuri frowned, and rotated his shoulders as surreptitiously as possible in an effort to dispel the deep discomfort he felt at being so close to Otabek—like his skin might literally crawl off his bones and skitter away.

Yuri forced himself to not answer as he bowed his head a little. He glared at the hardwood floors through ashamed, unshed tears as Otabek escorted Yuri into the garage—an area of the house which he hadn't been to before.

For someone more or less uninterested in motor vehicles of any kind, Yuri found it wholly unremarkable. Lines of cars and motorcycles, most of high-end companies, and most of which Yuri recognized at once—Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari, Maserati, Yamaha, Harley Davidson, and more. He imagined anyone other than him would be salivating at the sight, but it didn't matter to him whether Otabek drove a Jaguar or rode on a pink tricycle—it still wouldn't make him like the alpha any better.

Otabek led Yuri to the black Mercedes, and opened the passenger-side door for him. Yuri felt his cheeks warm in embarrassment at the gesture, but kept his comments to himself as he slipped into the leather seat.

The alpha closed the door for him and circled the car to climb into the driver's seat. He started the ignition, and pulled out of the space in total silence. Yuri fidgeted in his seat, caught between the tense silence they sat in, and his total lack of desire to engage Otabek in conversation. He stared ahead, his hands in his lap as Otabek hit a button on his key-ring, which opened the garage doors automatically, and shut them after they'd passed through. At the same moment, Yuri felt a tingle around his throat, and he eyed Otabek curiously, but he couldn't figure out what he'd done. He supposed that Otabek had deactivated the collar somehow, for when they passed through the gates of the huge house, Yuri did not receive any sort of electric shock.

Otabek made his way towards the road, his entire focus on the driving, and Yuri turned his attention to the forest flicking past his window. The alpha hadn't been wrong—they were _far_ from civilization, and if anything, it made Yuri feel even more isolated than he had before. He shifted his gaze ahead, but again, all he saw was a two-way stretch of highway, and nothing else whatsoever.

“It's not far,” Otabek suddenly said, his tone conversational as though he hadn't noticed the heavy, awkward silence between them, “maybe half an hour at most.”

Yuri nodded his head, his eyes still fixed on the passing greenery. It seemed to be zipping by _very_ fast, and when he glanced down at the speedometer, he blanched.

“You're going over one hundred and fifty!” Yuri sputtered, and Otabek turned his gaze to the omega, his eyebrow cocked.

“So?”

“This isn't the autobahn, and I saw a sign that said one hundred. Jesus, _slow down_.”

“We'll never get there in time if I go the speed limit,” Otabek said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Relax, I know what I'm doing.”

“You're gonna wrap us around a tree...”

“Yuri, I've done speeds _much_ higher than this. Don't worry, I'll take care of you.” He smirked a little when the colour rose in Yuri's cheeks, and the omega dropped his gaze to his lap without another word. Otabek's free hand slipped into his lap and reached for one of his hands. Yuri flinched before he could think better of it, and he watched as Otabek's hand curled into a fist before he pulled it back and returned it to the wheel.

Silence fell again, and Yuri kept his gaze down, given that the blur of the forest passing them was beginning to make him dizzy.

_I'll take care of you._

The words rang through his head, repeating over and over, but no matter how many times he heard them, they sounded no more genuine to him.

Yuri chanced a glance up.

Otabek's focus was still on the road, and he exuded an enviable cool calm that Yuri almost wished that he could replicate. As Yuri stared, he couldn't help but notice again how handsome the alpha was, from his dark eyes and square jaw, to his strong frame—

Yuri shook his head.

_Snap out of it, no matter how hot he is, he's still an alpha who wants only_ one _thing from you._

The cold reminder of what awaited him when Otabek finally lost his patience and _took_ what he wanted was enough too make Yuri shudder, and it sobered up his mind for the remainder of the trip.

 

~*~

 

Half an hour later, Otabek pulled up in front of a maisonette that was quaint compared to Otabek's home, but still big enough to fit at least ten of his grandfather's house inside. It was a redbrick building with french windows and doors, attractive marble steps with huge, gaudy lion sculptures bracketing the doorway.

Otabek let himself out of the car and handed his keys to the valet, and Yuri hurried to let himself out of the vehicle so that Otabek would not get another chance to act _gentlemanly_. This plan seemed to have worked, and Yuri noted how Otabek's posture seemed to sag a little in disappointment when Yuri stepped out. He held out his arm for Yuri again, and reluctantly the omega took it to be led inside.

Despite outward appearances, Yuri found the inside of Viktor's home to be very modern. The décor was very minimalist, a lot of white, with designer furniture and top-of-the-range electronics and appliances everywhere.

Of course, Yuri wasn't able to really absorb his surroundings very much, given that the second they crossed into the house, Yuri was overwhelmed by the smell of _dog_ , and with one excited bark he found himself on his back, and a large labradoodle standing over him.

“Makkachin!” a voice called, “that's no way to greet our guests!”

The dog was tugged away and a strong hand dragged him to his feet. After a moment Yuri realized that it had been Otabek who had pulled him up, and followed the action by wrapping his arm around the omega's waist and all but pinning him to his side. Yuri just barely managed to check the reflex to pull away.

Viktor was standing before them, his hand on the dog's collar, and a wide smile on his face. The dog's tail was little more than a blur, and he seemed to be straining against the collar in an effort to get back to Yuri and Otabek.

“Otabek, welcome!” Viktor said cheerfully, throwing out his free arm in greeting as Otabek steered Yuri farther inside. “I'm so glad you and your omega could make it!”

_Your omega?_ Yuri thought sourly as he reluctantly followed Otabek's lead, _I have a goddamn name._

Yuri opened his mouth to respond, but Otabek's arm tensed around him as Viktor babbled about the area of the house in which the party was being held, and led them away. As he did so, Otabek leant in close to whisper to him, “ _please_ behave yourself tonight, Yuri,” he murmured, “no alphas here will claim you, but if you cause a scene, I could be reported for being unfit to control an omega, and you'll be sent to a foster alpha.”

_Foster alpha_ were the two words that immediately kept Yuri from doing anything but allowing Otabek to lead him on. The Omega House had been full of the tales about the foster alphas, after all, and he'd heard enough horror stories that he _definitely_ did not want to test to see if Otabek was bluffing or not.

Viktor finally let go of the dog, and it paused to sniff at Yuri and Otabek before it trotted off, and the alpha led the pair through the doors next to the staircase, and into the parlour.

The party was small—at least, smaller than Yuri would have expected.

He spotted a nervous-looking Yuuri surrounded by a cluster of people, his hands resting protectively over his stomach. Yuri noted how Yuuri was nervously trying to inch away from them, but the group was always quick to close in on him again. The omega's gaze whirled around and focused on Viktor, and the alpha quickly abandoned Yuri and Otabek to rescue Yuuri.

“Come on, come on,” Viktor said mildly to the crowd, “give my omega some air!” as he spoke, he draped an arm around Yuuri's shoulders and tugged him close. To the casual observer, it may have appeared as though nothing more serious had happened than Viktor gently dispersing the crowd, but Yuri could see the way Viktor's tense arm around Yuuri was more dominant than protective, and it gave out one simple message, loud and clear— _he is mine._

Yuri shivered.

Yuuri looked far from comfortable as well, given that the group had been nothing but alphas crowding around him, and as he sniffed the air, he noted that he could catch no scent of _beta._ It was nothing but alpha and omega. Yuri scanned the room, and spotted the omegas all grouped together in one corner, their expressions helpless as they looked over at Yuuri.

Yuri felt a cold chill run through him as he recognized a few of the faces.

Minami looked very different from when Yuri had seen him at the Omega House a few months prior. His light, cheerful demeanour was gone; his shoulders sagged a little, as though he was desperately trying to make himself less noticeable, and he looked downright miserable. Guang-Hong was calm, indifferent, but did not look either happier or more miserable about being there, though he tugged awkwardly at the sleeves of his suit jacket often, as though unused to the cut of the garment.

The other man in the little group was unfamiliar to him. He was taller than the others, with an easy smile and soft, sandy hair, and carefully groomed facial hair. In his arms he carried a toddler with tan skin, auburn hair, and bright blue eyes. She was clearly old enough to walk on her own, but clung to the omega with a nervous look as she gazed around the room.

Perhaps the little girl could also sense how tense the atmosphere was.

“Go visit with the other omegas while I make the rounds,” Otabek murmured as he placed a kiss to the side of his throat. Yuri shivered a little, but forced a small, stiff nod before he pulled away from Otabek and walked over to the other omegas. He glanced over to Yuuri as he walked, but the omega was still being held fast by Viktor, and was once more surrounded by the other alphas. Viktor seemed wholly unconcerned with how nervous Yuuri looked.

“Yuri, good to see you again,” Guang-Hong said as he approached, and he motioned to the stranger. “This is Emil, and his daughter, Krasava.”

“Pleasure,” Yuri nodded his head at the pair, while the little girl glanced at him, and tightened her hold on her mother. “I'd shake your hand, but they look a little full at the moment.”

“Krasava is my shy little girl,” he replied by way of explanation, “she's not a big fan of parties, but we couldn't find a sitter, so...”

“She looks about as thrilled as the rest of us,” Guang-Hong supplied teasingly, and Emil chuckled softly as he nodded.

“So I see,” Yuri observed, and glanced over to the cluster of alphas (and Yuuri) again. “My...the alpha who _thinks_ he owns me was even charming enough to warn me not to screw around tonight, or I might get sent to a foster alpha.”

A collective shiver ran through the group, except Guang-Hong, who eyed Yuri curiously.

“What's that?” he asked, “I've never heard of a foster alpha before.”

“Think of the scariest possible thing you can, and then times it by a hundred, then square it,” Yuri replied, and Guang-Hong's eyes widened. “A foster alpha's job is to break omegas. They pretty it up and call it _retraining_ , but it's pretty much an all-access pass for psychopath alphas to rape, terrorize, and abuse omegas into submission. And the best part is it's all _legal_.”

“I've known more than a few omegas who needed retraining,” Emil said while he stroked his daughter's hair and she continued to cling to him, her eyelids fluttering as though she was really struggling to stay awake, “they were so damaged after. They were like...shells. Terrified of even breathing without the express permission of their alpha because of what the retraining did to them.”

Emil moved as though to say more, but a small hand circled Yuri's wrist and drew his attention away from the young parent and their dark topic of conversation.

When Yuri turned, he was shocked to see Minami clinging to him, his eyes wide and shining. Upon closer inspection, Yuri noticed that though he was wearing a suit like the rest of them, his was much more fitted and revealing, and clearly showed off his bonding mark—except, though the usual circular bite mark was there, it was larger than it should have been; wider, and more jagged. Whoever had marked him had not done so kindly.

“Yuri?” he asked softly, “can—can I talk to you? _Alone?_ ”

Yuri had half a mind to shake him off and ignore him—he hadn't exactly been _friends_ with Minami during his brief stay in the Omega House, but something about the anguished, desperate look in the fellow omega's eyes stopped him short.

“Yeah, okay,” he replied, and stepped away from the others. Minami still had not let go of Yuri's wrist, and half-dragged him away, only stopping when they neared the doors, well out of earshot of anyone else. “What is it?”

Minami did not immediately answer, but his eyes welled with tears. He sniffed sharply, and blinked hard, but that only aided in helping the tears to streak his cheeks and drip from his chin.

“You were right,” he croaked, and rubbed roughly at his eyes, but that seemed to do little to stem the flow. “I was s-so _stupid_.”

“Minami, what happened?” Yuri asked, and he endeavoured to keep his tone level so as to not upset him further, but the urgency in his tone seemed to only aid in worsening his anguish.

“M-my alpha took m-me home and marked me, and—and he...h-he...Yuri, he _hurts_ me. Y-Yakov was supposed to k-keep bad things like this from happening and h-he's so mean to me, and _everything_ I do seems to make him mad, and I don't know what to—”

“—what's going on here?”

Minami paled.

Yuri turned and saw a young man with cold, dark eyes levelling his gaze first with Yuri, then with Minami.

Minami looked positively petrified.

_This must be his alpha._

“Nothing's going on,” Yuri said quickly while Minami tried to compose himself—with little success. “We were just talking.”

“ _Talking_ ,” sneered the alpha, “must be some talk, if it leaves my omega in hysterics.”

Yuri narrowed his eyes.

“Seung-Gil, really,” Minami said softly, his explanation cut off abruptly by a soft hiccough of a sob, “r-really, we were just talking.”

“ _I'll bet_ ,” Seung-Gil sneered, and tugged Minami against his side. Minami yelped in surprise, but went willingly, though his expression of complete and utter misery never left his face. “Come on, we're going. If I'd known letting you socialize with your people would make you this hyper, I never would have agreed to come to this freak show.”

Minami looked as though he wanted to protest, but instead he nodded meekly and followed Seung-Gil's lead out of the room with his head drooped forward. At the door he glanced back, and mouthed two words to Yuri—

_Help me._

He was gone before Yuri had a chance to react to the plea, and at the same moment he nearly jumped a foot in the air when he felt a sudden hand at the small of his back. He spun on the spot to see who had touched him, and relaxed a little when he saw Otabek standing next to him.

“Everything all right?” he asked softly as he tugged Yuri a little closer, and for once, Yuri went willingly. “I saw you talking with Seung-Gil and his omega, and he's about as pleasant as a vampire at a garlic farm.”

Yuri reached for Otabek, almost unconsciously so. If Otabek was surprised by this turn of events he did not show it, but instead secured his arm around Yuri and rubbed his back consolingly.

“He's abusing his omega, Minami,” Yuri explained in a soft tone of voice, but chillingly, Otabek did not appear shocked by this piece of information. “I knew him at the Omega House. He was so hopeful about being chosen, and...he's completely different to how he was back then. I thought Yakov's screenings were supposed to prevent things like this.”

“They should have, but a good psychopath knows how to tell an interviewer or psychiatrist exactly what they want to hear,” Otabek replied darkly. “I can pull a few strings, see if I could get someone from the Omega Protections Office to look into it, but if it gets back to him that it was me...” he trailed off, and his arms tensed around Yuri. “He's not a nice man, and I don't think he'd think twice about hurting you to hurt me.”

“I can take care of myself,” Yuri said quickly, “but Minami's helpless. Please...help him?”

Yuri's dignity and abject refusal to accept anything Otabek had to offer went out the window in that moment. Yuri knew that he was prickly, and not the most social person, certainly, but he wasn't _heartless_. Minami needed help, and if he had a way to give it to him, it felt like something of a dick move to turn a blind eye to his suffering.

Otabek rested a knuckle against Yuri's chin, and gently tilted his head up. He looked down at Yuri with the same intensity that he always did, and ghosted a kiss over his lips. This time, Yuri did not fight it.

“I'll do what I can,” Otabek murmured, “I promise.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Yuri means 150km/h, not miles.


	10. Singled Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: **Trigger Warning:** This chapter contains elements of sexual harassment and references to abuse/capital punishment.
> 
> Next update will be October 10th

Chapter Nine – Singled Out

 

“Oh, how precious.”

The sudden voice snapped both Yuri and Otabek from their little bubble, and they turned to see a young man with golden skin and long brown hair coming towards them with a bright, sunny smile upon his face. Yuri swallowed nervously when he felt Otabek's arms tense around him.

“Leo,” Otabek acknowledged with a nod, “what do you want?”

“Oh, nothing,” he replied smoothly, “just thought you guys look so cute together...you know you hear all sorts of crazy things through the grapevine, and it's kind of hard to believe that you haven't marked your omega yet, you seem to like him a lot.”

“ _We_ are waiting for the right time. Yuri will let me know when—and _if_ he is ready to be marked,” Otabek answered stiffly. Following his statement, Leococked his head curiously at the pair.

“That sounds oddly familiar...” Leo replied with a chuckle, and he lifted his arm, holding his hand out, palm up, and in an instant Guang-Hong was there, both his hands closing over the alpha's outstretched one immedeately.

“Leo?” Guang-Hong asked uncertainly, tilting his head to the side as he gazed at him, “is something wrong?”

“No, no,” he chuckled and tugged his hand from the omega's to wrap an arm around his waist. Guang-Hong smiled shyly at the familiar touch, but appeared far from unhappy about it. “I just wanted you to tell your friend and his alpha about when I took you home.”

“Oh, um...Leo asked me to decide when to mark me,” Guang-Hong answered, his brow furrowed with confusion, as though this was something painfully obvious. “After he took me home, he left me alone, but came to talk with me a lot...and sometimes it wasn't talking; we played video games and watched movies and played board games. When my heat hit I asked for it, but he used a...” Guang-Hong suddenly turned very pink, “well, _you know._ He said he didn't want kids yet.”

“Yeah, but he didn't collar or microchip you, did he?” Yuri asked, just barely managing to keep his voice even, instead of acidic.

“What?” Guang-Hong sputtered, and his eyes widened as his gaze fell on the steel circlet around Yuri's throat, and seemed to realize in that moment that Yuri wasn't wearing it for mere decoration. “Of—of course not! That's totally barbaric!”

Yuri raised his eyebrows as he looked over at Otabek, who was wearing an appropriately shamefaced expression.

“Do I need to tell you, _I told you so?_ ” Yuri asked mildly, and Otabek dropped his arms from around the omega as he looked away.

“Go see Yuuri,” he said hollowly, “I need to think.”

Yuri did not need telling twice, and he hurried away from Otabek, Leo, and Guang-Hong and over to Yuuri, who was still standing awkwardly with Viktor.

“Yes,” Viktor was saying to an alpha with brown hair and tan skin, “we were hoping for one, but _three_! Well...just goes to show that my omega is the very _pinnacle_ of fertility!”

Yuuri's face flooded with colour as Viktor placed a hand on his stomach, and the alpha laughed.

“I'm thrilled for you, Viktor,” he said, “I know you've always wanted a big family, and...who's this?” the stranger turned and smiled at Yuri, his voice taking on a high lilt as though he'd just spotted a small child. “And where is your alpha, little one?”

Yuri's face burned at the tone with which this alpha spoke to him, and he curled his hands into fists. As he debated the pros and cons of responding snidely to his tone, Yuuri seemed to sense danger, and quickly cut in.

“He's my friend,” Yuuri said quickly, drawing the stranger's attention back to him. “Viktor invited him and Otabek. His name is Yurio—uh, Yuri.”

“ _Two_ Yuris?” he asked, and raised a brow as he levelled his gaze with Viktor, “and you didn't snatch them both up?”

“I was never much for the whole harem lifestyle,” Viktor replied smoothly, “one Yuri is more than enough for me.” He turned his attention to Yuuri, and brushed his lips over the omega's in a light kiss. “Why don't you go visit with Yurio? You haven't seen him all evening, and this is your night too, after all; I'll have Mickey keep me company.”

“Okay,” Yuuri nodded meekly, “thanks, Viktor.”

Viktor responded with a smile and another kiss, then let Yuuri go, and he hurried over to Yuri. Viktor turned his attention back to the stranger, apparently called _Mickey_ , while Yuuri looped his arm around the blond's elbow, and dragged him away.

“ _Little one?_ ” Yuri hissed when they were out of earshot, “what am I, five?”

“ _Don't_ make a scene,” Yuuri whispered back urgently, “Michele loves teasing omegas, the only one he really respects is his own, Emil. If you make trouble, he'll ask for a punishment, and he'll want to watch Otabek mete it out.”

“It never ceases to amaze me how _charming_ these assholes are...do you know this from experience?” Yuri muttered, and Yuuri frowned, though he did not contradict him as they wove away from them.

“Not me, no, he's not stupid enough to ask for punishment on me because...well... _you know_.” Yuri grimaced, and his hand dropped to his stomach as they walked. “But he's got an eye on Minami, and he and Seung-Gil have double-teamed on him a few times...he's _not_ nice, Yurio.”

“That kid really got the short end, didn't he?” Yuri asked as they stopped near the buffet table, while Yuuri picked up a little star-shaped finger sandwich, but picked at the flimsy bread instead of eating it.

“He was so hopeful, I feel really bad for him, he didn't deserve this—any of this.”

“Sort of lends credence to what I was trying to tell you guys back at the House,” Yuri muttered, and crossed his arms while his gaze flitted over to Otabek. He wasn't with the other alpha anymore; instead, he was standing in the corner looking sulky. The sight gave Yuri a sick sense of satisfaction as he turned his attention back to Yuuri.

“Viktor's been good to me, and Leo and Guang-Hong seem to be getting along really well, it's just you and Minami who seem really miserable...” Yuuri trailed off as he stuffed the sandwich into his mouth and reached for a second. Yuri didn't comment—he _was_ pregnant after all.

“Otabek said he's going to try and help Minami,” Yuri said, his voice low, “I don't know if I believe it, though.”

“That's about as safe as poking a crocodile with a stick,” Yuuri replied softly, “I want to believe it, but...don't get your hopes up. A while back, I asked Viktor if there was anything he could do, but he said he couldn't, it was too dangerous.”

“ _Dangerous?_ ” Yuri asked, blinking in confusion at his fellow omega, and Yuuri nodded.

“Yeah. He's involved in something... _big,_ ” Yuuri replied cryptically. “The sort of thing where if you wrong him, you'll disappear, and no one will miss you, _that_ sort of thing. Viktor was afraid something would happen to me if he interfered.”

“Otabek said he'd try to help Minami,” Yuri repeated, and his gaze once again flicked over the the alpha in question. This time, Otabek caught him looking, and their eyes met. The cool calm was enough to make him shiver, and he looked back over to Yuuri. “Do you think he knows all that stuff?”

“I don't know,” Yuuri replied as he shrugged. “Viktor always says that Otabek is a mystery wrapped in an enigma, tied up in a riddle. No one really knows _who_ Otabek is. He's not big on sharing. Viktor claims he's friends with your—” Yuri glared at Yuuri's wording, and he cut himself off quickly to rephrase it. “Viktor claims he's friends with Otabek, but he still knows next to nothing about him—no one really does.”

“I've been living with him for a little while now, and I don't even know if _I_ know him...” Yuri muttered while he kept his attention focused solely on his companion. “All he ever talks about is me, or my heat cycles, or how he wants to knock me up. He...he scares me.”

“Tall, dark, mysterious, and _rich_...most omegas would jump at a chance to have someone like him,” Yuuri pointed out, and Yuri immediately shook his head.

“The first thing he did when he took me to his place was microchip me and put a collar on me like...like a _dog_.” Yuri cut himself off as he felt a wave of nausea nearly overwhelm him, and he took several slow breaths to try and calm himself down. “There's nothing _good_ about him.”

Yuuri frowned at him, but didn't answer. Even as Yuri had voiced the words, he felt the tiniest tendril of guilt settle in the pit of his stomach. It was true, many things about Otabek's character were far from _good_. He did not trust Yuri, and had all but chained him to the house. But at the same time, when his heat had come, he did not pounce on him like an animal, not had he marked him—yet. He seemed at least genuine in that respect, and he had promised to try and help Minami, but it was unclear how much of that was out of the so-called _goodness_ of his heart, and how much of it was yet another ploy to try and get Yuri to let him in.

Yuuri opened his mouth to continue their conversation, the crease between his eyebrows giving Yuri the impression that he was going to contradict him, but at the same moment the parlour doors crashed open, and Yuri hissed a curse as he recognized the alpha letting himself in at once.

“ _Hail, hail, the gang's all here!_ ” JJ cried jovially, swaying a little as he brandished a large, half-empty wine bottle. “My inv'tation musta got lost in the mail. Viktor! So nice to see you again!”

Yuri watched the effect the scent of an unmated alpha had on the partygoers with a morbid sort of fascination. The four alphas had been standing in a circle near the centre of the room, talking and drinking, while Guang-Hong had been chatting with Emil on the other side of the room. Upon JJ's entry, the alphas took on distinct protective looks, while the other omegas adopted fearful and tense expressions.

Guang-Hong darted towards Leo, and he wrapped an arm around the omega's middle. He whispered something into the young man's ear, and Yuri watched Guang-Hong visibly relax. Michele left the group to go to Emil, and wrapped his arm around him, while Krasava squealed and reached for her father happily, blissfully unaware of the tense atmosphere around her.

Yuri had been so distracted watching the others that he hadn't been paying attention, and an elbow suddenly nudging his ribs nearly made him jump out of his skin.

“ _What?_ ” he hissed at Yuuri, who winced at Yuri's sharp tone. He did not verbally respond, but instead nodded towards the centre of the room. JJ had joined the group, and was leaning against Viktor, while Otabek was motioning at Yuri with a very clear message: _come here._

It was an almost alarming contrast to the look Yuri saw Viktor shooting Yuuri, which clearly said, _stay there._

“Duty calls, I guess,” Yuri muttered, and he shuffled reluctantly over to his alpha.

The moment Yuri reached him, Otabek immediately slipped an arm around Yuri's waist and tugged him close. Yuri stumbled into his side, and felt his face burn at the round of chuckles that the reaction was met with.

“Got yourself a little fighter there, Otabek,” JJ teased, his words heavily slurred, “sure you're alpha enough to tame him?”

“I never said I wanted to tame him,” Otabek responded coolly, “I like his fire. I wouldn't have chosen him otherwise.”

“Yes, but fire needs to be doused, otherwise it gets out of control,” Viktor pointed out as JJ straightened up, though JJ's eyes had not strayed from Yuri, which was making him very nervous. “A fire can warm you, but if it gets out of hand, it will destroy everything it touches. In my opinion, meek is better.”

There was a murmur of agreement amongst the alphas that chilled Yuri to the bone.

 

As he stood there listening to the alphas talk,Yuri wanted to ask what he was doing there, and _why_ Otabek wanted him near when it was clear that Viktor's intervention was keeping JJ from accosting any of the omegas, but the words never quite made it out of his mouth. Otabek kept a possessive arm around Yuri at all times, tightening his hold when the topics got more serious, as though doing so would protect Yuri from hearing them; in particular when the discussion turned to the OLF, the Omega Liberation Front, which was comprised mostly of beta men and women who lost their omega children to a House.

“Bunch of selfish, idealistic hippies, if you ask me,” JJ said, his cheerful demeanour fizzling out as he slowly sobered up and the topic came around to the movement. “So many omegas get mistreated in places like Scandinavia because they're free to roam around after puberty—it's safer for them to be looked after like that.”

“Too true,” Michele added with a small nod as he joined the conversation. “All those unmated omegas running around, it's a wonder they get _anything_ done. You know they're even letting omegas _vote_ over there, and get employment, and the ability to separate from their alpha if they want? It's totally ridiculous.”

There was a murmur of agreement, and Yuri felt his stomach churn uneasily. Otabek did not contribute to the conversation, and his arm around Yuri became taut and tense as the conversation progressed. Yuri shifted a little closer to Otabek, and found himself at a loss for what to do. Speaking up about how he and others like him _deserved_ basic human rights seemed like a bad idea—it was five against one at the moment, and Yuri did not like his odds.

“What about you, little omega?”

The sudden voice startled Yuri out of his thoughts, and his gaze snapped up to see Michele had gotten much closer to himself and Otabek.

“I'm sorry, what?” Yuri winced at the feeble sound of his own voice, and he felt his face burn at how terribly weak he sounded. He tried to take a step back, but Otabek's arm around him stopped him from going very far.

“Do you _want_ to be left out on your own like that?” Michele asked, raising his eyebrows at Yuri, “no alpha to care for you, no House to keep you safe and fed—nothing. Just you and whatever comes along with that.”

“I—I...” Yuri swallowed thickly, and pressed himself more securely against Otabek. He had no idea what to say, and after Yuuri's dire warnings, he found himself genuinely terrified of saying the wrong thing. He hated how weak this made him look, but the memory of his last punishment was still very clear in his mind, and he had no desire to repeat it.

“Oh, stop crowding him, Mickey!” Viktor said, the forced cheer in his voice so false that Yuri cringed at the sound of it. “This is a _party_. Not the place for boring political debates. Let's get you something to eat, my chefs have whipped up so many nice little nibbles, and you bunch of lushes have hardly touched it. Come on, let's go.”

Viktor herded Michele away and tugged JJ along with him, while he looked back to offer Otabek a tiny nod, which he returned. Only when the three alphas were far enough away that they were unlikely to overhear, and when Leo led Guang-Hong away with Emil close behind did Yuri finally turn to Otabek.

“What was that all about?” he demanded without preamble, “why did you want me to hear all that, or did you just want me on your arm, like some sort of...of... _toy_ or trophy?”

“I wanted you to hear what an _actually_ monstrous alpha sounds like, so that you'll stop painting me as the bad guy,” Otabek replied, his voice a soft hiss. “I won't deliberately force myself on you, but I want you to understand what a _real_ monster sounds like.”

Yuri yanked himself out of Otabek's hold, and narrowed his eyes at him.

“Just because you didn't agree with _them_ that omegas are some sort of subhumans doesn't make you any better. I'm still chained to you, I still can't escape you. You may as well have agreed with him, because all your so-called _promises_ to me are just thinly veiled attempts to get me to present my ass to you. That will _not_ happen.”

Otabek's jaw seemed to be working furiously, and his expression darkened from plaintive to angry. He abruptly spun on his heel and stormed from the room, leaving Yuri alone.

Almost at once, an unfamiliar arm snaked around his waist.

Yuri spun, and paled when he saw that JJ was the one holding him.

“Hello there, little one,” he said with a smirk, “looks like your alpha left you here all alone with no one to protect you...”

“Let me go,” Yuri said in a rush, and he felt his dignity crumbling around him as he struggled to keep calm, and his voice even. He repeated the mantra of _don't make a scene, don't make a scene..._ over and over in his head in an effort to remind himself what awaited him if he said or did the wrong thing. “Please...I just...”

“And are you _telling_ me what to do, omega?” JJ asked as he leered at Yuri, and the omega immediately lurched back, though the alpha did not release him. “It's not your place to tell an alpha anything; you belong to us. We decide what you wear, what you eat, and, of course, when you will become a mother. You don't even need to _think_ for yourself; your alpha, if he is a good alpha, he does it _for_ you.” He leant in closer, and Yuri could smell an unpleasant mixture of whisky and wine on his breath. “Isn't it just _so_ much easier when we tell you what to do? All you say is _yes,_ and do as we say. It's an easy life, but if you want to make it hard on yourself, I'd be happy to oblige you.”

“Please,” Yuri repeated shakily, “I-I'm not telling you to do anything, y-you're...my alpha will be back soon, we just had a—a disagreement...”

The tone in which Yuri spoke was slowly killing him, not because it was feigned weakness in an effort to get the alpha to back off, but because it was _true_. This man utterly terrified him, and for the first time all evening, he wished Otabek was there.

And, of course, he _wasn't_.

“A disagreement, eh?” JJ purred, inching closer, while Yuri leant back a little. He looked around the room frantically, but no one seemed keen to come to his aid. Leo and Guang-Hong were standing in the corner talking quietly to one another. The omega, Emil, was feeding tidbits from the table to his daughter while Michele held her, and Viktor was speaking animatedly to a staff member who appeared to be the chef or caterer—Yuri wasn't certain which.

Yuuri, however, was nowhere to be seen.

“Yes, just a disagreement,” Yuri replied shakily, “he doesn't like other alphas touching me, and—” Yuri cut his own explanation short as he felt the bile rising in his throat. Despite the necessity of speaking of himself like this— _anything_ to get this scumbag to back off, he simply couldn't do it. He _could not_ speak as though Otabek was a class above him.

“JJ,” a sudden voice said. “What exactly do you think you're doing with _my_ omega?”

Both Yuri and JJ turned, and Yuri saw Otabek standing there, his arms crossed, and his brow furrowed into an angry glare. He looked more dangerous in that moment than Yuri could ever recall seeing him before, and standing not two feet behind him—was Yuuri.

Realization dawned on Yuri—Yuuri had gone to get Otabek when he saw the trouble.

Yuri didn't know whether he wanted to thank him or hit him.

“You leave an unmarked omega alone at a party, what do you think would happen?”

“I expected him to be treated decently, not like he's something that can be taken as arbitrarily as the last sandwich off a platter,” Otabek growled, his eyes narrowing. “Let him go, now.”

JJ lifted his arms in surrender, and Yuri fell to the floor with a soft grunt. The man was still smirking as he wandered over to Viktor, and whispered softly in his ear. Viktor's normally cheerful expression dissolved, and he began to very gently escort the partycrasher to the door.

“Yuri.”

Yuri spun at the sound of his own name, breathed out like a sigh of relief, and suddenly he was overwhelmed by the familiar scent of Otabek's overpriced cologne as the alpha embraced him.

Far too shaken by the encounter to even try to fight, Yuri wrapped his arms around Otabek's neck and clung to him. The alpha's hand ran up and down his spine, and Yuri shivered at the strange and confusing sensation of both comfort and discomfort coursing through him—comforted by the safety he felt in Otabek's embrace, while a part of his mind screamed at him for accepting touch from this man at all.

For once, Yuri didn't care, and found himself deeply grateful for Otabek's presence and warmth.

“Thank you, Otabek,” Yuri whispered before he buried his face in the crook of Otabek's neck, and he felt the alpha's arms tense around him.

 


	11. The Olive Branch

Chapter Ten – The Olive Branch

 

A week later and on the cusp of another heat in Otabek's presence, Yuri was painfully aware that he did not hate the alpha nearly as much as he used to.

And that worried him—deeply.

It was true that Yuri no longer saw Otabek as completely evil, but he still proceeded with caution where the alpha was concerned. He hadn't yet forgotten that this was the man who collared and microchipped him like some kind of animal, and had _beat_ him when he had tried to run away.

Yuri was well aware that Otabek was not a good man—far from it.

So what didn't that bother him anymore?

Was it because he'd promised to help Minami?

Or was it because twice now he'd saved Yuri from grabby alphas like JJ?

Or was this yet another method to break him, and force Yuri to trust him?

Yuri wasn't sure anymore.

 

Following the party, Otabek no longer forced anything on Yuri—not food, not his company, nor his presence in 'their' bed.

Privately, Yuri was deeply grateful for this development. However, he couldn't help but feel suspicious. What was Otabek up to?

At the same time, Otabek seemed to be making a genuine effort to keep Yuri from feeling too isolated, and invited Yuuri and Viktor over often.

Despite the fact that Yuuri was only about twelve weeks along, he was already starting to show, and his stomach was distinctly rounded, though less obvious to those unaware of his condition—really, it looked more like he was slightly bloated.

“How's it feel?” Yuri asked conversationally, breaking up the silence a little as Yuuri looked away from the TV screen playing _Watchmen_ , and over to his companion. It seemed to take a moment for the question to register, and Yuuri rested his hands on his stomach with a small grimace.

“Weird—the same,” Yuuri replied with a wince. “I'm sick a lot, you know, like morning sickness, and it's hard to eat food 'cause everything gives me heartburn. I can't really imagine ever doing this again, and I really hope Viktor doesn't press me for more, because this isn't exactly fun for me.”

“Alphas...ever the charmers,” Yuri said bitterly, and returned his gaze to the TV screen while he crammed a chip into his mouth.

“Viktor's been good. To me, I mean,” Yuuri said, his tone just shy of pleading, as though he knew that Yuri did not believe him for a second. “After the party, he had a long talk with Leo, and he's changed, I mean it. I don't really know what they talked about, but Viktor's started asking me a lot of weird questions that he didn't ask me before, like, 'are you happy here?' and 'what do you want to do today?' before, he just made the plans and I had to go along with whatever he wanted to do, and now he's constantly making sure that I'm happy with him, like he's trying to woo me or something.”

“Isn't it sort of moot, considering you're bound to him?” Yuri asked as he arched a brow at Yuuri, and the brunet shrugged.

“No idea. He's eccentric, but not like...scary eccentric. Just strange. I know this sounds a little crazy, but I feel like...he feels bad for marking me so fast. Ever since his talk with Leo, it's less of the alpha-omega dynamic I'm used to with him, and more like...I don't know, like he wants me to love him.”

“Very unlikely,” Yuri replied at once, “alphas don't care about _love,_ they just care about heirs and having a nice little body to fuck.”

“Do they, though?” Yuuri asked uncertainly, “I mean, some alpha and omega couples I've seen, they act like...lovers. Not one above the other.”

“I've heard of that in cheesy romance novels, but I've never seen it for myself,” Yuri replied, just barely managing to keep the acerbic edge out of his voice. “I find it kind of hard to believe that an alpha would actually be capable of acting...decent. They're in too much of a rush to lay claim on an omega for that.”

“Maybe I'm just not as cynical as you,” Yuuri replied with a small shrug. “I don't mean that in a bad way,” he added quickly when Yuri opened his mouth angrily, “but...I mean, Viktor I think approached the claim of me differently than how Otabek was with you. He marked me right away, but he didn't put an obedience collar on me, or a microchip in me...I suppose he wasn't afraid that I'd run away.”

“Meanwhile Otabek seems so damn paranoid about _losing_ me,” Yuri grumbled. “He makes all these big promises about _letting me choose_ , but really, I have no choice.”

In response to Yuri's statement, Yuuri laughed, though it was a bitter sound.

“Yuri,” he said, “what omega _does_?”

 

~*~

 

When Yuuri and Viktor left that evening, Yuri felt as though he had been left with a _lot_ to think about.

 

He slipped quietly to his room, curled up in a seat by the window, and watched the sun set while his mind began to wander.

Yuri was an omega, and he knew that there was no changing that.

Legally, he _belonged_ to Otabek Altin. Unless the alpha had a sudden change of heart, there was no changing _that_ either.

Socially however, it was still a bit of a grey area. He wasn't completely Otabek's—not yet, anyway.

Now, it seemed, it became something of a challenge to find and retake control of what little he could of his own life, within the realm of his own shitty social standing.

That concept in itself was daunting, and Yuri found that he had no idea where to start.

A soft tapping on his door drew Yuri from his thoughts, and he turned to see Otabek standing at the door, a look of uncertainty in his eyes. Yuri could not recall ever seeing him look so unsure of himself, and the lack of the usual cool aloof demeanour he usually held himself with was somewhat jarring.

“Erm, dinner is almost ready, I was wondering if you wanted to join me?” Otabek asked, and Yuri was startled by the tone in which he spoke—it was a _genuine_ invitation, and not a thinly veiled order, which was new. “We're having borscht and olive oil bread. If you'd rather not, I can have something sent up.”

“No thanks,” Yuri replied almost at once, and Otabek nodded.

“All right, I understand.” He paused and regarded Yuri for a moment, his lips parted as though he was going to say more, but at the last moment, he turned and left the omega alone with his thoughts.

 

~*~

 

Six days later, Yuri woke abruptly in the middle of the night, just as he had during his last heat.

Pain lanced through his spine and lower abdomen, and the insistent tickle of arousal blinded him to little else but his own physical sensation. He buried his face in his pillow, his fingers digging into the fabric harshly, and he let out a low moan of pain.

Amazingly, Otabek did not suddenly appear as he usually did whenever Yuri made even the smallest vocalization of discomfort. He opened his eyes, and found three things had been left for him on the bedside table—a bottle of pills, a glass of water, and a short note.

Yuri snatched up the note first.

 

_Call me if you need me. If you're not comfortable with me around you right now, Stephenson will be nearby if you need anything._

 

_x_

_Otabek_

 

Yuri had no idea whether or not to feel grateful; and his headspace was far too muddled for him to think clearly on it, either. He dropped the note, and with trembling hands, he reached for the pills and water, downing two of the caplets quickly before he eased back on the bed and curled up, drawing the blanket over his shaking form. He clenched his eyes shut and buried his head under one of the available pillows, and tried to ignore the agonizing pain and arousal that was coursing through him.

 

~*~

 

The pain was slow to fade, and at last Yuri was finally able to fall back asleep. As he did so, the door to his bedroom creaked open. Otabek peered inside, his eyes darkened with longing.

His breathing was soft, but heavy, and as he stared at the small form curled up in the bed, his jeans became distinctly tented. Even from such a distance, the scent of a ripe, unmarked omega was making him dizzy with lust.

“Yuri...” he breathed, and pressed his palm against the frame of the door as sweat began to dot his brow. His hand curled into a fist, and with stiff, reluctant movements, he took a large step back from the door, shut it, and all but ran down the hall.

Yuri did not stir.

 

~*~

 

Yuri remembered little of his heat, other than waking periodically to eat and take his suppressants, as well as take quick trips to the bathroom. Moving at all still hurt, even with the added pain relief of the medication, and as a result much of his time was spent in bed.

Because of limited mobility, Yuri found himself deeply grateful for Otabek's expansive library, and managed to burn his way through Nietzsche's _Thus Spoke Zarathustra_ , as well as the trinity of Beatnik American literature— _Naked Lunch, Howl,_ and _On The Road_. Strangely, despite the heavy reading, it made him feel light and safe—the necessary focus he needed to work through the books enabled him to take his mind away from his current situation, and as a result became something of a blessed reprieve from the last few months of hell that he'd been subjected to.

Of course, Yuri knew that all good things must come to an end, and he found himself almost saddened when his heat came to a close, thus halting the quiet reassurance that Otabek would leave him alone.

 

Barely twenty-four hours after the end of his heat, Yuri's attention was drawn to a gentle knock on the door of his bedroom. He glanced up, and tried to swallow his grimace as he saw Otabek peer inside, a look of uncertainty upon his face.

“Yuri?” he asked, “how are you feeling?”

“Fine, I guess,” Yuri replied with a small shrug, “um...thanks for the meds and books.”

Otabek beamed at his words, and Yuri quickly dropped his gaze. The lack of venom in his voice did not sit well with him for some reason, but at the same time Yuri genuinely had no idea how to address it. He kept his gaze fixed firmly on his knees as Otabek began to speak again.

“Erm, after dinner I'd like to speak with you, if that's all right?” Otabek said, his tone clearly displaying his nervous uncertainty at what Yuri's reaction might be. “I'm—it's kind of important. In the library?”

“Fine,” Yuri repeated, and nodded his head. Otabek broke into another smile. He moved forward, as though he intended to enter the room, but when Yuri lurched back he froze, and the alpha nodded his head, apparently unfazed by the rejection.

“Great; I'll see you then.”

Yuri offered up a third nod, and lifted his gaze long enough to watch Otabek leave the room. He rotated his shoulders, the familiar feeling of discomfort bleeding into him as he sat there. Instead of doing anything remotely productive, he drew his knees up to his chest, and stared off into space morosely.

What did Otabek want?

In the grand scheme of things, the answer to that was a simple one—

He wanted Yuri.

_Completely._

He wanted Yuri to be his good little mate, and he wanted Yuri to willingly spread his legs for him, and he wanted Yuri to get pregnant with his kids.

At the thought, Yuri shivered. The idea of doing _that_ still utterly terrified him.

But more simply, why Otabek wanted to _see_ him—Yuri genuinely had no idea.

All manner of worst-case scenarios raced through Yuri's mind as he sat there, and chief amongst them, the worst possible outcome immediately flooded into his mind.

 

“ _I'm tired of waiting, Yuri,”_ Yuri imagined Otabek saying in a cold snarl. He envisioned the alpha grabbing him, and throwing him down to the ground. _“I'll make you mine—”_

 

As phantom teeth stung Yuri's throat, he shook himself out of the nightmarish daydream, and scrambled up from the bed.

Yuri raked his shaking fingers through his hair as he took several deep, trembling breaths, but his fear over what this _talk_ might entail did not leave him.

Cold metal brushed his fingers, and he closed his hand around the collar that he still bore. In an instant, he was painfully reminded that no matter what kindness he had been shown of late, he was still Otabek's prisoner.

_I can't forget that,_ Yuri thought fiercely as he gazed towards the door, and chewed on his bottom lip.

Whatever what was to come, Yuri wasn't certain that he'd ever feel ready to face it.

 

~*~

 

That evening, Stephenson brought him a light supper of thin soup and a salad, as though he was well-aware how nervous Yuri was at the prospect of seeing Otabek later. He had no idea what to make of this development and merely grunted a small, “thank you,” to the servant as he made his way back out of the room.

Even with the light supper, Yuri's stomach churned unpleasantly as he made his way from his bedroom and down to the library.

When Yuri stepped into the now-familiar space, and Otabek immediately turned to him with a small, nervous smile. In his hand he was sporting a glass of scotch, and he seemed to be trying to pass off his nervousness under a flimsy mask of nonchalance, but Yuri found that he could detect it easily.

Strangely, the lack of his usual aloof demeanour was comforting, and Yuri felt some of his tension begin to drain away.

“Sit with me?” Otabek asked, and patted the empty side of the settee farthest from him. “There's no need to look so nervous. I'll behave myself, I promise.”

Yuri did not find the feeble joke very reassuring, but reluctantly obeyed the command. He circled the sofa and sat down.

“Do you want anything?” Otabek asked, while Yuri worked through his mild shock at the fact that the alpha did not close the space between them. “Hot chocolate? Tea? Scotch? Whisky?”

“A world of no,” Yuri deadpanned, “what's this about?”

Otabek's shoulders slumped a little, and he sipped his drink once before he set it down, and inched a little closer to Yuri. He lurched forward slowly, as though he wanted to touch the omega, but at the last moment Otabek leant back, though the action seemed to be almost painful for him to perform.

“I grew up in an Alpha and Omega household,” Otabek began, and stared off into space as he spoke. “Father and Mother were very proud that their only child turned out to be an alpha, and I was raised to believe that omegas were like... _pets_. You loved them, you cared for them, you let them have their respect, but ultimately, yours to own.

“Father was never unkind to my mother; he loved him and cared for him, but it was always clear that he was beneath me and Father in social standing. After I turned sixteen, Mother was not allowed to order me around anymore—the reverse became true. I was _better_ than my own mother. The man who bore me, who gave me life, and raised me.” Otabek paused, and Yuri watched in quiet amazement as a look of utter shame formed on his face. “I think...that was wrong. I was educated with a private tutor on how to be the perfect alpha. How to bring an omega to heel, how to work with an untamed one, what an appropriate punishment would be, and so on. Until very recently, I thought I was being good to you, but really...I'm no better than the rest, I see that now.”

“Why are you telling me all this?” Yuri asked uncertainly, and he tensed when Otabek glanced back up at him.

“I want us to start over— _really_ start over, and treat you how you deserve to be treated—like a person,” Otabek said firmly. “Could you please hold out your arm?”

It did not take a genius to work out _which arm_ Otabek meant, and trembling slightly, Yuri obeyed.

Otabek rested one hand gently under Yuri's elbow, and he used the other to draw a small tube out from the inside of his jeans pocket. From his position, he could not read the label, and he tensed as he watched Otabek flip open the cap and he squeezed out a thin cream onto his inner forearm, just over the spot where his chip was. It took mere seconds for Yuri to work out the reason for the ointment as it began to take effect.

“My—my arm's going numb,” Yuri said uncertainly, and Otabek nodded his head.

“Good. I don't want this to hurt,” Otabek replied, and then produced a wicked-looking syringe with an alarmingly wide needle. Yuri's eyes bulged, but he did not move, praying that Otabek was about to do what Yuri thought he was doing, and he desperately hoped that it wasn't a trick of some kind.

The omega watched with a detached sort of interest as the needle slid into his flesh, but he did not feel it. Otabek pulled on the plunger, and the tracking device was extracted, along with with a few millilitres of blood.

Otabek quickly pressed a piece of gauze to the wound and covered it with a piece of medical tape as he removed the needle and set it aside. Yuri's shock amplified when Otabek then moved his hands to his throat, and pawed at the collar for a few moments before Yuri heard a tiny _click_ , and watched as the metal fell away.

Yuri immediately brought his hands up to his bare throat, and he gazed up at Otabek uncertainly. His blank expression did not change, and Yuri found himself floundering as he tried to work out the alpha's motives.

“Why?” Yuri asked at last, and grimaced when his voice escaped him as little more than an awestruck whisper.

In response, Otabek smiled faintly and lifted his hand to rest against the side of Yuri's face. His thumb brushed lightly over the omega's cheekbone, and Yuri found himself far too stunned to react to the physical contact one way or the other.

“I want you, Yuri,” Otabek said at last, “but I don't want to own you; I don't want to _control_ you. This is the most I can do, I'm afraid. If I relinquish my property rights of you, the Omega House will take you back. I'll give you some time to think about everything, and you can come talk to me when you feel ready.” He leant in and pressed a kiss to Yuri's forehead, then stood up and strode out of the room without looking back.

Yuri sat and stared at the door where Otabek had left, his hands still on his throat.

 

_What had just happened?_

 

Yuri rubbed at the bare column of flesh, and turned his gaze over to the window. It was almost full-dark outside.

Realization dawned on him.

 

_I can escape._

 

Trance-like, Yuri stood and walked back to his room. As quietly as he could, he sifted through the closet, and buried at the very back he found a dusty old backpack. He evicted a spider from the bottom of the thing, and while he strained his ears for even the smallest sound, he yanked clothes off their hangers, dug undergarments out of the dresser, took his toiletries from the bathroom, and grabbed a bottle of water and as much portable food from his mini fridge as he could fit into the bag.

Yuri then tucked the bag away, and sat down on his bed, and listened.

And waited.

He kept his eyes fixed on the clock on the wall, and watched the hands tick later and later. Evening gave way to night, and when the clock began to read twelve-thirty, Yuri slipped off the bed, grabbed his boots from the closet along with a jacket, gloves, and scarf, and slung the bag over his shoulder.

Yuri padded silently down to the main level of the house, fully dressed save for his boots, which he carried in hand. All the lights had been turned off for the night and the passageways were black; he met no one one his way.

At the side door that led to the western area of the gardens, Yuri stopped and slipped his boots on. He straightened his jacket, and cast one last glance towards the dark, silent house.

 

_I'm out of here._

 

The door made no noise as the omega stepped out into the night, and he disappeared into the woods.

Upstairs, Otabek's phone on the night stand illuminated, an alert in red was emblazoned across the lock screen reading, _BREACH._

Deeply asleep, the alpha did not stir.

 


	12. The Great Escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next update will be October 24th. Italicized segments are flashbacks.
> 
>  **Warning:** This chapter will contain brief references to prostitution (now tagged), and a scene of graphic violence at the end of the chapter.
> 
> I just want to take a moment to thank you guys for the literal _tsunami_ of comments on the last chapter. HOLY SHIT. That was brilliant, and made my entire week, so thank you so much, and I hope today's chapter lives up to your expectations! :)

Chapter Eleven – The Great Escape

 

The forest was not simply dark, but _black_.

The moon and stars were completely obscured by heavy clouds, and the sharp autumn wind bit into Yuri's cheeks, carrying a promised winter chill with it. Yuri didn't dare use a flashlight for long spurts, and only enough to ensure that he wasn't going in circles. He was sure that if he used it for too long there was every risk that someone might spot it, and Yuri was determined to _not_ get caught this time.

The forest was far from silent, but every crack of a twig or rustle in the trees sounded like a pursuer, and it took all of Yuri's strength of will to move forward steadily, and not allow himself to be spooked by these sounds. If he broke into a run now, the only thing he'd accomplish is tripping over something in the dark, and hurting himself.

Without the aid of a light it was slow-going, and at dawn Yuri realized with a sick sort of jolt that he could still see the house. He was certainly far enough away that he didn't risk anyone spotting him right away, but once Otabek realized he'd gone, Yuri knew that there was every possibility that the alpha would come tearing into the forest with a full entourage in tow.

Yuri looked to the sky, found where the sun was rising, and put his back to it. Assured that he was roughly going west, he set off just short of a run, his thoughts overwhelmed with his memories of the _last_ time he'd made an escape, and he prayed that this time, he would not be as unlucky.

 

~*~

 

“ _We're here for Yuri Plisetsky.”_

_The voice was cold, even, and emotionless. Yuri stood on shaking limbs and stepped towards the front door before his grandfather would have to call for him. He stared ahead blankly, and barely absorbed any of the conversation that surrounded him. His grandfather hugged him one last time, uttering a soft apology, before he was led out of the house and to an ominous black van._

_Gravel crunched under the tires, and Yuri watched out the window until he could no longer see home fading into the distance. Tears burned his eyes, but he did not let them fall._

I won't let this be my end, _Yuri thought fiercely._ Just you watch.

 

_The van ride was long, but without a watch or phone, Yuri wasn't able to accurately time it. He sat in the back, unable to see the dashboard's clock, and watched as the sun inched towards the western horizon. As it did so, the back of the van filled with other omegas. All of them were his age, sixteen, and all of them looked petrified. Some were crying, some were visibly shaking, and all were silent as the grave, too scared to vocalize what they knew was to come next in their lives._

 

~*~

 

Yuri did not stop running until the huge, fortress-like manor had completely faded from view.

Around him the composition of the woods did not change, and the continual sameness was unnerving, and made Yuri feel as though he had not gotten very far. It was still thick and heavy, with an oppressive atmosphere that did little more than unsettle him. He felt as though he stuck out like a sore thumb, and it would be all too easy for him to be spotted(or scented) at a distance. He felt slightly sick with exhaustion, and Yuri knew that he needed to rest soon if he was to have any hope of getting out of here in one piece.

As Yuri slowed his pace to a walk, he looked around again, this time in order to find a possible shelter. Though the trees were thick, they had been stripped bare in late autumn, and the break in the foliage gave him a clear view of the sun high in the sky. The forest floor was so thickly covered with leaf litter that every step Yuri took crunched loudly, and every single one made him wince and glance around nervously, but he saw no sign of anyone or anything else.

Yuri's exhaustive nausea hit its peak around noon, and the omega began to search with newfound determination for some form of shelter. He found something more quickly than he had expected—a dead tree, hollowed out and propped up against two other living ones, with an opening at its base big enough for Yuri to fit inside.

Yuri grabbed a long stick from the ground, and moved over to the hollowed out tree. He jabbed the stick inside, and hit the ground several times, knocked the sides of it, and essentially made something of a racket. When no animals came barrelling out, he had to assume that it was safe, and dumped his backpack inside, tossed the stick away, and began to gather up armfuls of leaves.

Once he was sure he'd amassed enough, Yuri backed into the little hollow, and built the leaves up to completely conceal the entrance. It kept the warmth in, and also hid his presence from any predators—both human and animal—from seeing him. He knew that he could do little about his scent without suppressants available to him, and silently he cursed himself for not trying to find where Otabek kept them when he was not in heat in his haste to leave.

Yuri dug into his backpack and bolted a granola bar as well as several long sips of water, then curled up, and went to sleep. His dreams, like his thoughts, fixated upon the past.

 

~*~

 

“ _The role of the omega is simple,” the House Master said to the line of eight new omegas, “obey. You obey, and your life is a simple one. A good alpha will know how to handle you, and make your heats not just bearable, but enjoyable. You fight, and, well...” he chuckled. “You know the old joke, what do you call an omega with two black eyes? He didn't listen the first time.”_

 _A shiver ran down the line of new arrivals, and Yuri felt positively sickened by the horrid_ joke _._

 

_Two weeks later, Yuri made his first escape attempt. The outside guards spotted him before he'd cleared the perimeter, and he was subdued with so much force that the resulting concussion left him bedridden for nearly three weeks._

 

_The second attempt was a month after he'd recovered. He surreptitiously stole several bottles of suppressants and hid them in a pillow case under his bed, along with portable food and bottles of water. The cleaning lady found his stash, and he was dragged into the punishment room and beaten into submission._

_That was what they had called it, at least. Painful as it had been, Yuri did not submit._

 

_The third time, Yuri did it right._

 

 _He waited. He planned. He watched the changing of the guards, and he checked for blind spots in the surveillance cameras. He squirrelled away food and medicine in secret places, and most importantly, he_ behaved. _He lulled the House staff into a false sense of security, and after eight months of hell, Yuri finally made his escape._

 

_~*~_

 

_Crunch, crunch_

 

Yuri stirred.

 

_Crunch, crunch_

 

Yuri cracked one eye open, but it was no better. Everything around him was black again.

How long had he been asleep?

The crunching sounded again. Heavy footfalls. Based on the sound, Yuri thought that they were likely bipedal.

“Oh, please let it be Baba Yaga...” Yuri mumbled as softly as he dared, and listened.

The low timbre of a male voice sounded in the distance, and he froze. He knew that voice.

Yuri screwed his eyes shut and held his breath. Between the leaf litter concealing him and the distance, he could not make out the words. That was good; it meant Otabek was not very close by. His voice was tense and desperate, carrying more emotion than Yuri had ever heard it before.

The voice jumped up in anger, and Yuri flinched despite himself. It softened again, and a few other voices joined Otabek's.

Yuri remained still and silent, but they did not come near.

 

~*~

 

_Life on the streets was hard._

_As an omega, even with suppressants, there was no way to completely mask his distinctive scent. Survival was key, more than dignity. With freezing temperatures for so much of the year, Yuri survived the only way he could—by selling his body._

_Beta and Alpha men alike lined up to taste him, and Yuri shuddered through the horrible encounters. Sometimes it yielded a bed for the night, or a hot meal, but mostly, it gave him cold cash. His tongue and ass had bought him a one-way bus trip to his grandfather's fishing village, but the House got there first._

 

_Yuri had not yet made it over the ridge that led to his grandfather's little shack by the sea when a huge black van thundered past him, completely overlooking him at the roadside, bundled in a hoodie, scarf, and heavy jacket. He screamed a curse before he turned and ran in the opposite direction._

_Tears streaked his cheeks at the cold realization—he could never go home again._

 

~*~

 

Yuri woke early the following morning, but aside from the occasional scuffle of some sort of woodland creature through the trees, he heard nothing. That was good. It meant that Otabek and his party of searchers were not coming this way.

After eating an apple and taking a few more sips of water, Yuri dug himself out of his hiding place and used a pointed rock to dig a shallow hole, which he used to relieve himself. He buried the evidence, his nose wrinkled in disgust, and shouldered his bag before heading off.

Yuri kept going west; he had hoped to stay close enough to the edges of the wood in order to follow the highway back to the city, but now he could not even hear the rush of cars against the pavement, cementing the knowledge in Yuri's mind that he was indeed _very_ deep in the woods.

He found himself grateful for his relative fitness as the day progressed, and he felt very little exhaustion, save for a distinct ache in his joints, which was something of a welcome distraction from his internal panic that he was probably completely lost. The aches he put down to being curled up in a hollowed-out tree for the better part of twelve hours, rather than concern that he was beginning to tire, and he pushed onward with renewed determination.

 

Yuri paused in the early afternoon to eat, but chose to scale a nearby pine tree, and hid amongst the thistles just in case, before he bolted a granola bar and washed it down with some more water. He pocketed the wrapper, and moved to climb back down again when he heard something that made him freeze.

Voices.

As quietly as Yuri could, he ascended to the higher branches, keeping to the sturdier limbs and hiding himself more fully as they drew closer.

“The trail stops here, sir,” an unfamiliar voice said, “these tracks are new, he can't be far.”

“Good,” Otabek said, and Yuri felt himself shiver at the quivering, almost angry lilt in the alpha's voice. “Find him.”

Silence.

“Did you not hear me?” Otabek asked, and Yuri shivered again at how dangerously cold Otabek's voice had gone. “ _Find him!_ ” he shouted, “Find my Yuri! He is alone in the woods, and if something or someone hurts him I'll—I'll...just _find him_.”

Yuri glared down at the little group of Otabek and the three men that he did not recognize. He was hidden well enough that he didn't need to worry about Otabek spotting him, provided he kept perfectly still and silent. The three men the alpha had brought along darted off, and Yuri was on the cusp of silently observing that Otabek's attitude towards him hadn't changed at all, and he still very much saw Yuri as his possession when a single word gave him pause.

“ _Please._ ”

It was spoken so softly and with such deep pain that Yuri almost didn't catch it.

“ _Please find him,”_ Otabek whispered to no one, his voice breaking as he spoke. _“I don't know what I'll do if he gets hurt out here...”_

Otabek had fallen to his knees, and if Yuri did not know any better, he could have sworn that the alpha was _crying_. He did not move, and repeated the word, “ _please,_ ” over and over in a soft, trembling tone of voice.

 

Yuri watched as Otabek stood back up and looked around the area for another few minutes, circling the area as though looking for clues. He came back to the tree Yuri was hiding in often, but by some small stroke of luck, never looked up. At last, with his head bowed slightly, the alpha trudged off after his companions.

Yuri stayed perched in his tree, and stared down at the ground.

 _He made it sound like he actually cared about me,_ Yuri thought as his mouth twitched into a small frown, _like I was more than some toy to him..._

Yuri stared down at the ground, his brow knitted in confusion.

What did it mean?

Was it some _game_ that Otabek was playing?

Yuri shook his head to dispel the questions. _It doesn't matter,_ he thought, _I'm free now, the only trick is staying that way. It doesn't matter if Otabek's_ seen the light _, or whatever, I'm still not going back to someone like him. I need to get home. I need to see my grandpa. This time, I won't run away, and I won't lose myself._

 

~*~

 

 _The city streets were safer than the countryside, Yuri learnt. The countryside damn near killed him. It was full of people with_ good _intentions and a genuine fear of breaking the law. Doors were slammed in his face, emergency numbers were called, and he was refused shelter everywhere he went. It was only thanks to a young farm boy that he survived at all, he sneaking Yuri food and warmer clothing while he allowed him to cower in the barn amongst the cows and goats, and then drove Yuri in his tractor through their frozen fields, getting as far up the road as he could. An added twenty kilometres of walking later—four hours, by Yuri's estimate—he made it back to the city. Back to the sleaze and darkness; back to safety._

_As safe as such a life was, anyway._

_Despite his initial determination to maintain some semblance of dignity along with his freedom, his survival instinct pushed him back to sex work sooner, rather than later._

“ _You like what you see?” Yuri purred to a stranger in a dark vehicle as he passed. “I'll suck you for fifty. One hundred and you can fuck me.”_

“ _How much without a condom?”_

“ _I—I don't do that.” Before Yuri could blink the car roared to life and sped off. “Hey, wait!” It was too late, and within moments the potential customer was no more than a pair of headlights in the distance. Yuri screamed in frustration as he yanked at his hair. “Damn it, damn it,_ damn it! _”_

 

_~*~_

 

Yuri stayed perched in his hiding place for close to two hours, if nothing else to ensure that Otabek and his entourage really had moved on.

When he was certain that he heard no sounds indicating that there were people nearby, he carefully climbed down, and looked at the ground. He was no tracker, but it was easy to see where the leaves had been disturbed, showing where Yuri had walked, and where Otabek's group had gone. This enabled Yuri to strike out in the opposite direction of his pursuers, but this time he stepped more lightly, and placed his feet on rocks, as well as overturned trees and logs as often as he could—anything to keep from leaving prints behind.

Now that it was painfully obvious that Otabek was looking for him, Yuri did not allow himself to stop for any more breaks. He kept moving, eating and drinking periodically as he went. The trees never thinned, and regardless how far he walked, still he could not hear the telltale sounds of the highway drawing any closer. He tried to swallow his panic at this development, and silently hoped that it did not mean he was getting farther from civilization, and deeper into the woods, where once his food and water supplies ran out, he would have absolutely no chance of surviving.

 _Okay, those thoughts are definitely not helping._ Yuri scowled at himself. _You're just...turned around. Maybe with a little luck you'll keep walking and wind up in North Korea or something..._

Yuri shook his head; that train of thought wasn't exactly helping either. If the stories were true, he'd be lucky if he wasn't shot on sight for that.

 _Just think happy thoughts,_ Yuri thought, his face set in a firm scowl. _Be positive or something. Sure, I've been in Hell for the last two years, but I'm bound to get a little luck once in a while, right? I'll go home, I'll see my grandpa, and we'll eat smoked sturgeon and pirozki, and pampouchki and tea, and I'll whittle with him, and sleep in on that tiny, rickety old bed, and everything will be all right again._

Yuri blinked tears out of his eyes, and staggered to a stop as he rubbed his face in the crook of his arm with a soft growl. He couldn't afford to get this emotional; it would definitely slow him down.

 _Keep moving, I've got to keep moving_... Yuri thought to himself as he resumed his trek and jumped from boulder to boulder, listening hard for any sounds that might be Otabek and his tracker friends approaching. Luckily none came, and he was free to continue following the sun as it made its way across the sky.

 

As dusk began to fall around him, the sheer exhaustion from moving almost nonstop for the better part of an entire day began to set in. His movements became slow and sluggish, and despite the need to keep moving, his protesting muscles told a different story. That, and the fact that carving his way through the forest at night was a monumentally bad idea, especially with Otabek and his friends still looking for him.

Yuri slowed his pace to a leisurely walk, but continued to avoid stepping on the ground where he could. Yuri looked around for a place he could sleep as he walked, and again, he knew it had to be a place where he would not risk of being spotted—a cave, or hollow tree, or some sort of natural lean-to that he could hide under. He needed to ensure that Otabek would not find him; he _refused_ to be taken back to that house—that _prison,_ and he refused to subject himself to another beating.

 _Crack_.

Yuri's head jerked up as the sound of the snapping twig sliced through the air like a gunshot. He whirled around, but saw nothing in the encroaching darkness.

Yuri breathed heavily as he came down from the scare, and part of him was tempted to call out and see who was there. However, a larger, stronger, and more rational part of his mind reminded him that if it _was_ Otabek, that would be a surefire way to announce his presence to the alpha—the one thing he did _not_ want to do.

Yuri returned his attention to walking. He made it a handful of steps before a soft rustle in the leaf litter stopped him again.

He turned, but once again, he saw nothing in the dim light of the dying day.

 _I'm just tired,_ Yuri thought shakily as he picked up his pace again, and moved at something closer to a trot, but not quite a full run. _It's got to be aural hallucinations or something. I just need to sleep for a few hours, and that'll clear up this crazy paranoia._

Yuri heard another rustle in the foliage at his back, but this time he ignored it. Even if it wasn't him hearing things, it was a soft sound, and it was likely no bigger than a mouse or some sort of small mammal scampering through the leaves. Far too small a sound for any sort of predator to make—human or otherwise.

Full dark came on slowly, and despite his feverish searching, Yuri still had not found a place to rest for the night. He still didn't dare use his flashlight, well-aware that Otabek was probably still around looking for him, and out in the wilderness, random unnatural light would be too easy to spot. Because of this, Yuri's trek slowed down considerably, and he blindly felt his way along, grunting in discomfort when a tree branch would strike his cheek, or he'd accidentally step through a spiderweb.

As he moved, the rustling behind him continued. Yuri turned back more than once, and though at one point he was quite certain he'd seen the briefest flash of amber eyes watching him, he couldn't be sure, and passed it off as his mind playing tricks on him. Yuri knew that he was exhausted, and now his legs were beginning to feel wobbly with fatigue. He _needed_ to find somewhere to rest, and soon.

 

Yuri continued to amble along as he had for what felt like the last hour. He couldn't be entirely certain, given that the sky was once more covered with heavy clouds, and as a result he could not track the movement of the moon across it.

Something light touched his nose, and tickled it. Yuri wrinkled the appendage, and cursed when it melted, as he realized what it must have been.

The stark white of the snowflakes did not stand out very much in the impenetrable dark, and Yuri drew his jacket more tightly around him as a biting, wintry gust wove through the trees and stung his cheeks. Yuri shivered, and adjusted his scarf to more securely shield his face from the cold.

Even with the white beginning to blanket the forest, Yuri still could not see any more clearly in the dark. With the added howl of the wind, he knew that if anyone spotted him, it was likely that he would not hear them coming. Now, more than ever, Yuri knew that he _needed_ to find some sort of shelter.

Tiny snowflakes stung his cheeks and clung to his eyelashes. Yuri tugged up his hood, and squinted into the oppressive darkness. He could see thick black trunks through the din, but little else besides.

 _Keep moving,_ Yuri thought as his teeth began to chatter, _you have to keep moving..._

 

Yuri reached forward, and his hands were met with dead air.

No more trees.

The thin layer of snow on the ground dimly illuminated a small clearing, circled with stones like some sort of bizarre fairy ring. The wind was petering out, and it was silent. That should have been an indicator to Yuri that something was _very_ wrong, but the omega was simply too exhausted for it to really register that even in the dead of night, there should have been _sounds._

Yuri's bone-deep exhaustion muddled his observation skills so much that he didn't see it coming. One moment, he was marvelling at the dimly lit landscape before him, and the next, sharp claws were digging painfully into the back of his shoulders, and inch-long teeth closed over his throat as nine hundred pounds of tiger slammed into him from behind.

 

~*~

 

_It was evening. Yuri had almost lost count of the days and nights, but his time with the elderly businessman gave him an opportunity to see a mobile phone when he'd gotten a call from his wife._

_April Twenty-Sixth._

_He'd been on the run for exactly eighteen months. Strangely, it felt like much longer than that._

_The businessman had pressed a few more roubles on him, insisting he use it for food and not drugs. Yuri almost laughed. Was he_ that _skinny now that he looked like some sort of heroin addict?_

_Nevertheless, he did as the businessman had said, and bought pirozki from a street vendor. He walked along, it still bitterly cold out despite the lateness of the season, munching on the hot, portable meal as he went._

_Ahead of him on the pavement, three men in dark jackets and strange long poles were talking amongst themselves. They seemed to be debating something hotly, and as Yuri neared them, he realized that they were holding taser guns and noose traps. Yuri dropped what was left of his pirozki._

_The soft sound drew the attention of the three men, and they all turned to Yuri as they smiled._

“ _There you are!” one of them said with unnerving false kindness. “We have been looking all over for you!”_

_Yuri knew what these men were. He'd seen their kind before as he outran them at every opportunity, by jumping into dumpsters, rushing down metro staircases, and cowering in derelict abandoned buildings; anything to avoid being caught._

_House Catchers._

_Yuri did not pause long enough for his blind panic to completely manifest. He ran._

 

_~*~_

 

Yuri screamed as he crashed to the ground, fright and pain bleeding together as he thrashed under the enormous feline. As he struggled, one of his elbows managed to crack against the beast's muzzle, which managed to stop it short of snapping his neck.

The move momentarily stunned the tiger, and Yuri was able to wiggle out from beneath it. It recovered from Yuri's retaliation quickly, and it swiped at the omega with an enraged snarl, its claws catching his backpack and tearing through it as though it was made of tissue paper.

Clothes, food, and his water bottle all tumbled from the bag. Yuri dropped what was left of it and bolted for the trees. He did not get very far before the creature was on him again, and the omega shrieked as pain lanced through his calves when the tiger swiped at him, creating deep, bloody gouges in the muscle. Yuri's knees buckled, and he fell.

Tears of pain and fright stung his cheeks as his palms bit into the snow, his legs a bloody, mangled mess. Yuri tried to crawl away, only to have the tiger catch up to him, bite into his forearm, hard enough that he felt the bone snap,causing Yuri to scream again as he was dragged in the opposite direction.

The tiger dropped him at the edge of the wood, and Yuri immediately tried to stand, but the creature seemed to sense what he intended to do, and a gurgling cry escaped him as it scratched his chest, leaving four deep gouges in its wake. The force of the blow was enough to make Yuri tumble to the ground again, and he gagged around the pain, the dizzying panic, and the heavy scent of blood on the air.

“ _Help!_ ” Yuri choked out, desperation completely eclipsing his need to avoid discovery, but his cry sounded weak in his own ears. “Someone, _anyone!_ Help me, _please_...”

The tiger bore down on him again, teeth bared, and Yuri felt too weak to fight anymore. Tears trickled from his cheeks and mixed with the blood on his face.

Wickedly sharp canines dug into his throat, and Yuri clenched his eyes shut, bracing himself for death.

Shouting broke through Yuri's fog of terror.

Yuri fell to the ground with a hiss, and he opened his eyes in time to see a group of men running at him, brandishing ignited flares in their hands, waving shotguns, and shouting a string of nonsensical words and sounds. The tiger fled into the woods, and Yuri clenched his eyes shut as someone fell heavily to the ground next him.

“Yuri...” a familiar voice said. “Oh, Yuri, no, _no_...”

Yuri cracked his eyes open again. Otabek was bowed over him, his face was streaked with dirt, his hair was greasy, and his eyes were carrying a haunted, distraught look to them.

Yuri opened and closed his mouth several times, but he had no idea what to say—no idea what he _could_ say.

Otabek bowed forward and brushed his lips lightly against Yuri's forehead.

“Yuri, I am _so_ sorry,” he whispered, and Yuri watched the alpha's eyes flood with tears. Yuri felt dizzy, in shock from the pain and blood loss, and he knew on some level that the sight of Otabek showing such emotion should have rendered him speechless, but he was too weakened to react.

“Hurts...” Yuri whispered, and he clenched his eyes shut again.

“We'll get you fixed up...good as new, don't worry.” Otabek whispered, and Yuri opened one eye to see Otabek smiling weakly at him Just stay with me, Yura. Sweetheart, _stay with me_. Come on, open your eyes, please?”

“Tired...”

“I know, sweetheart, just stay awake a little longer,” Otabek replied gently, and Yuri moaned in pain as Otabek lifted him up. “Fuck, I'm so sorry, this is all my fault. Please, Yura, just this once, _just this once_ , please listen to me and _stay_ awake.”

Yuri reached up for him, and closed his fingers around the fabric of his leather jacket. His head ached, and he had no idea what he wanted to do. His head spun from the blood loss, and he clenched his eyes shut. He was so tired...

“No, no, no, Yura, stay with me, come on, baby, wake up,” Otabek said urgently, and gave Yuri a gentle shake.

For once, Yuri genuinely wanted to listen to him.

It was a simple enough request; stay awake—stay _alive._

However, as with every other request or order that Otabek issued him, Yuri did not listen.

The omega let out a tiny sigh, and his world faded to black.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm well-aware that the likelihood of Yuri actually encountering a Siberian tiger is pretty slim, but I couldn't resist. I just really liked the imagery of the Ice Tiger of Russia being downed by an actual tiger XD


	13. Lessons Learned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: POV switch for this chapter. Enjoy! :)   
> Next update will be HALLOWEEN! :D

Chapter Twelve – Lessons Learned

 

“How is he?”

Otabek's tense demand was met with an exasperated look from the doctor, and he turned back to the unmoving form of the omega in the hospital bed of the manor's small infirmary to look over his patient as he spoke.

“Broken forearm, severe bruising to his back, chest, throat, and calves, deep cuts from the tiger's claws...honestly, it's a miracle he's alive at all, sir,” he said while he focused his attention on Yuri. He lifted the omega's eyelids, checked his vitals, and looked over his cast and various bandages before he finally turned back to Otabek.

“But will he be _all right?_ ” Otabek demanded as he took a step closer, and felt his heart break a little at the sight of Yuri, bandaged up and bedridden. _This is all my fault._

“Given enough time, he should make a full recovery,” the doctor replied as he reached out to offer Otabek's arm a reassuring squeeze. “I've given him a rabies shot, just to be safe, and some morphine for the pain.” Otabek ignored the physical show of reassurance, his full focus still trained on Yuri's sleeping form. His fair skin was a pasty white, dark circles ringed his eyes, and he was propped up to take the pressure off the wounds on his back, and his legs had been elevated on soft pillow, both of them thick with gauzy bandage and strong-smelling ointment.

Otabek reached forward and brushed a strand of hair from Yuri's cheek; he felt a fresh surge of anguish rise in his chest.

“Mr Altin,” the doctor said, drawing Otabek from his thoughts, and he turned away from Yuri and to the squat man. “Get out of here.”

“ _Excuse me?_ ” he demanded, his tone dangerous, and the little man's eyes widened with fright.

“I mean get out of this room for a little while, sir,” he explained quickly, a note of panic in his voice. “Go get some air, a drink of water, just clear your head. There is nothing you can do right now, and your omega will be unconscious from the sedatives we gave him for quite a while, up until tomorrow, at least. Give yourself some time, then come see him again this evening if you wish.”

“He's not _my_ omega,” Otabek replied roughly as he nodded, and took a reluctant step back. “He never was.”

If the doctor was confused by this reply he did not comment on it, but continued to smile placidly at Otabek as he turned and slipped from the room. When it shut, Otabek glanced back at it one last time, then strode down the hall and up to the bedrooms.

Otabek slowed his quick stride when he reached Yuri's room, and he offered the space a single cursory glance before he began to make the rounds.

Television, bookcase, the vent in the ceiling, the curtains, the closet door, and in the corner above his bed. He took down every single micro camera, no larger than the head of a pin, and was in the midst of removing the three microphones when Davies stepped inside, and his eyes widened.

“Mr Altin, what are you doing?” he demanded, a note of alarm in his voice as he gazed at his employer.

“Taking down the surveillance equipment,” Otabek answered simply while he ignored Davies's continued expression of shock at his statement. “This is enough; I can't do this to him anymore. I want the motion sensors around his door disabled as well—permanently.”

“Are you sure that's wise?” Davies asked uncertainly, “how will you know what he's doing when you're not keeping an eye on him?”

“I won't, and that's the point,” Otabek said in a firm tone that all but dared Davies to protest. “I've treated him like anything but what I want. I've treated him like a child, a prisoner...a _toy_. I am going to do right by him, like I should have from the start. If I had, this never would have happened, and he wouldn't be almost dead right now.”

“But sir, he is an _omega_ ,” Davies protested, “he needs a strong, guiding hand. To leave him on his own—”

“He is _not_ a child,” Otabek growled, making his paid muscle jump. “He is an eighteen-year-old young man who knows his own mind, and I was stupid enough to forget that. I almost lost him. I don't care anymore, do you understand? I don't _care_ what I have to lose, or gain, or _anything._ I want Yuri healthy, happy, and safe. That's _all_ I want anymore.”

Otabek stormed from the room, the surveillance devices in hand, and he made his way down to the parlour. He dropped the devices to the ground, and dug his heel into them, the glass and plastic breaking with a number of soft, satisfying pops. He scooped the pieces off the floor, and dropped the broken glass and plastic into his pocket. He then moved to his mini bar to fetch his bottle of good scotch while he pulled his phone out, unlocked it, and began to type out a message.

It took Davies less than two minutes to respond to the summons, and when he appeared in the doorway, he was flushed, not as though he'd been running, but more in a shamefaced sort of way.

“Sir?” he prompted nervously, and Otabek let him stew in his panic for a few more moments, taking the time to sip his drink before he waved the man forward, and he stepped nervously into the room.

“I want you to run something of an errand for me,” Otabek said as he dug into his pocket and fished out a little slip of paper from his pocket. “I need you to track this man down, and bring him back here. Do whatever it takes. If he wants money, food, cars, houses, I don't care. It is _imperative_ that you get him here. However, do not force his hand—do not hurt him or threaten him in any way. Understand?”

Davies nodded as Otabek pressed the paper into his hands, and he glanced down at the name. He blinked several times, and glanced back up to Otabek.

“Who is... _Nikolai Plisetsky_?” he asked, “why does that name sound familiar?”

“Yuri's grandfather,” Otabek replied, and ignored the look of genuine surprise on Davies's face following the statement. “It's time I stop trying to make Yuri happy for me, but for him instead.”

Davies grunted, but did not form a real answer before he slipped out of the room, and was gone.

 

Despite the doctor's order that Otabek take a breather for a few hours, he only managed to get through one extra-long film (the director's cut of _Titanic_ ) before he was burning to see Yuri again, and headed back down to the infirmary.

The doctor pursed his lips when he saw Otabek, but didn't comment, as though he was wholly unsurprised to see him there

“How is he?” Otabek asked, and nodded his thanks as the doctor pushed a chair over to Yuri's bedside, and the alpha sat down. He certainly _looked_ no better, still pale, and wrapped up in bandages, but it seemed as though some colour had returned to his cheeks.

“Stable,” the doctor replied simply as he moved to stand next to Otabek's chair. “he just needs to rest and allow his body to heal.”

“That'll be more difficult once he wakes up,” Otabek muttered, and reached out compulsively to brush his fingers across Yuri's fair cheek. “His knee-jerk reaction is still to run from this place as fast as he possibly can...not that I blame him, after what I've done.”

“He won't be walking, much less _running_ anywhere for the next few weeks, at least,” he said in a firm, matter-of-fact tone of voice. “I'll be surprised if he has any leg strength at all with those injuries. I'd suggest adding more protein to his meals for the next little while to avoid muscle atrophy, and chain him to the bed if you have to, any stress on those wounds won't do him any favours.”

“I'll speak to the cook,” Otabek replied, though he did not tear his gaze from Yuri as he spoke. Otabek longed to see him wake up, but at the same time he feared what might happen, too. The last thing he wanted was to worsen Yuri's injuries in any way, but at the same time, he found himself at a loss for how to convince Yuri to stay put—at least until his injuries healed.

Otabek smoothed the blanket needlessly over Yuri's still form, and his hands trembled minutely. He jerked back, and took several slow breaths, but it did not calm his frantic heart. He leant back in his seat, his eyes still trained on the omega, and he thought back to the pivotal conversation he'd had with Leo and Viktor not a full week earlier—the conversation that had changed everything.

 

~*~

 

_It seemed like such a strange gathering, and yet so completely necessary that at the same time that it wasn't strange at all._

_Otabek sat next to Viktor, and across from them sat Leo de la Iglasia. His bright and sunny smile seemed so out of place, considering what they had planned to discuss._

“ _Would anyone care for a drink?” Leo asked cheerfully as he regarded his two guests._

“Yes _,” both Otabek and Viktor said at the same time with mirrored emphasis. The young American laughed, and got up to wander over to the mini-bar, and poured a measure of_ Canadian Club _into three glasses. He carried it back to them, and pressed the whisky into each of their hands._

“ _So,” Leo said as he eased back in his seat and sipped his drink. “You two have had a change of heart, and wish to fix things with your omegas, is that right?” both Viktor and Otabek nodded. Leo smiled a little, his expression cautious, but approving as he sipped his drink once more before replying.“Okay, tell me everything.”_

“ _I rushed things,” Viktor said first, his trademark cheeriness dimming as he stared down into the glass, and frowned. “I marked him and had sex with him during his first heat before we'd even gotten to know each other properly, and I was so stupid and selfish, I didn't really think about it. Father always said an omega was as good as his alpha, meaning an alpha who knew how to control them and things like that. I don't_ want _to control Yuuri. I don't want to hurt him any more, but I'm worried that I can't fix things, that too much damage has been done. And I think back on things I said and did to him and with him and...I feel sick. He is a person, and it's something of a miracle that I didn't completely destroy him with my own selfishness.”_

“ _And you, Otabek?” Leo asked kindly, nothing in his tone implying judgment, and he continued to smile at them both warmly._

“ _I thought I was being noble,” Otabek mumbled, “that I was being_ good _to him. I didn't mark him—I_ still _haven't—and I haven't touched him sexually. But I microchipped and collared him to keep him on the grounds of my home, and at first I insisted he share my bed, but when he continued to be resistent to me, I gave him his own room, with surveillance devices implanted in it. I approached him only when I wanted to discuss his heats, or things like that, even when it was obvious that he didn't want to talk about it. Then when he_ did _go into heat I tried approaching him, hoping he might have had a change of heart, but when I tried to help him, he just lurched away from me, like I would hurt him—he was terrified. He has a microphone in his collar, and I could hear how miserable he was, but I still didn't do anything about it. I figured it would get better with time, but it hasn't. He still hates me.”_

“ _You also punished him, didn't you?” Leo asked, and Otabek nodded._

“ _After his first escape attempt I beat him—I spanked him with a paddle, thirty times. I didn't even think about it, like he was a_ person _I was hurting, I just...” Otabek broke off when his voice caught, and bowed his head. He took several slow breaths in an effort to calm himself down, but it didn't feel like it helped very much. “I didn't see him like a person. I saw him as an object. I didn't really realize that until recently, but I don't want to do that anymore. I'm tired of hurting someone I care about. I want to help him get better, I don't want him to feel like my possession.”_

_Leo did not speak at first. He set aside his glass, and took a small breath. He pressed his palms into his knees, and regarded both alphas with a critical eye._

“ _First off, let me tell you a thing or two about your omegas—you are_ lucky _that they haven't tried to kill themselves yet, the way you two have been treating them.” Leo paused to let the words sink in. Otabek felt the bottom drop out of his stomach, and Viktor blanched at the implication. “Viktor, you are_ extremely _lucky that Yuuri has not tried to induce an abortion. Some of the methods omegas back home used to use...drinking bleach, stabbing themselves in the stomach, starving themselves to the point of death...it was awful. It's in all our history books, but below university level, they rarely teach that stuff, because kids are too delicate to know the whole truth, you know?_

“ _In my country, well, we are_ far _from perfect, we got a lot of problems, but in terms of how our omegas are treated, it looks like a paradise compared to here. I came here for work, because my dad thought it was time I_ struck out on my own, _as he put it, and put me in charge of our Russian office. Believe me when I say it's the most boring job in the universe, but it did give me a pretty comfortable life, so I'm not really complaining much.”_

_Leo paused his monologue to sip his drink, a frown twitching at the corners of his mouth. It was a long moment before he spoke again._

“ _I didn't really go to the Omega House looking for anything, if I'm being honest. I was more curious. My secretary told me about them, and they sort of sounded like whore houses to me. I just wanted to go and see it, but I had no plans to take an omega home. It just seemed so..._ wrong.”

“ _But you did,” Otabek filled in for him, “you selected Guang-Hong.”_

_At this, Leo chuckled, but it was not a jocular or bitter sound, but warm. His eyes softened, and he stared off into space._

“ _Yeah,” he said, “I did.”_

“ _If you were so against it, why choose him?” Viktor asked, bent forward in his seat as he hung on to Leo's every word._

“ _I went on the pretense of looking for an omega, I figured they'd never let me in otherwise,” Leo explained, “I was just...curious, like I said. But then I saw him, and as stupid as it sounds, it was like love at first sight. It was like the lights dimmed everywhere else, and all I saw was him. He was beautiful, shy and sweet, and I just wanted to wrap him in a blanket and protect him from_ everything _. The idea of anything ever hurting him made me so sad, and I just_ couldn't _turn around and leave him in that place._

“ _I took him home, and I felt so bad because he was just_ so _nervous,” Leo continued, a look of genuine heartbreak registering on his face as he spoke. “I hated that it was_ me _scaring him so much, just by being there. I sat him down and explained that I wanted to get him out of there, and that I liked him, but that didn't mean anything. He was really confused by that, let me tell you.” Leo paused to laugh, but when neither Otabek nor Viktor reacted to it, he cleared his throat quickly and pressed on._

“ _I asked him out. Like a date-date. Because he wasn't marked yet there was only so much I could do without another alpha thinking they could just kidnap him for being out in public without that little bit of scar tissue, so I did what I could. We played video games together, and watched movies, and went swimming, and played one-a-side soccer...”_

“— _football,” Otabek and Viktor corrected simultaneously, and Leo snorted._

“ _Yeah, whatever,” he replied with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Anyway, at first Guang-Hong was really kind of hell bent on pleasing me. I'd be like, 'do you want to play Halo or Call of Duty?” and he'd just say, 'yes.'. When I would point out that that wasn't what I'd asked, he'd just_ panic _. I felt so bad for him. I kept reminding him that this wasn't permanent, and that if he really wasn't happy here I could let him go, or send him somewhere safe, like to his family in Beijing, or whatever he wanted. But then he'd just freak out_ more _. He was a bigger mess than I think even he realized._

“ _I googled some stuff on how to help him, like what sorts of things to ask him and stuff, and he was so stressed that he had no heat for the first two months at my house. He was just so confused and scared, I felt_ really _bad for him. I just kept it up though. I didn't treat him like a servant, or a lover—I treated him like a friend. I told him things about me, and I asked him things about him. I always asked permission before I touched him, even if it was something as simple as touching the back of his hand. And slowly, he opened up to me. I could see that he started the like me how I liked him. He asked me to mark him when he went into heat, and then...well...when he_ did _go into heat...” Leo trailed off with a bashful smile._

“ _So you just...acted like a friend, not an alpha?” Viktor asked uncertainly, and Leo smiled._

“ _That about sums it up, yeah.” Leo nodded. “I never went in looking for a partner, and I don't really care about having kids...not any time soon, anyway. What you two need to do I think is make sure that your partners know that they are more than what they can give_ you _. Are they more to you than just a convenient lay, or a sentient baby-making machine? Omegas are people, they're not objects. They are not there for us to control. That said, here is what I think you should do: Viktor, you need to acknowledge your rape of Yuuri.”_

“ _That's not—” Viktor began, but Leo cut in before he got very far._

“— _yes it is,” Leo interrupted, his tone firm. “Yuuri was definitely not ready for kids, from what you've told me, and from what I've heard you say. But in his heat state, where it is difficult for an omega to think clearly, you took advantage of it, and used it as an opportunity to get what_ you _wanted. He did not want this, and you've told me that he's petrified of being a mother. What mom goes: oh, yeah, I want to be a mom, but I'm absolutely terrified of everything that goes with it? He was_ not _ready. You need to own up to that.”_

_Viktor's expression shifted to one of realization, then it crumbled as it was replaced by guilt. He bowed his head, and Otabek turned back to Leo, pretending he didn't see the Russian's tears of realization._

“ _Otabek, you need to acknowledge your abuse of Yuri,” Leo said firmly._

“ _It was only one time...” Otabek began, but trailed off when he saw Leo shaking his head._

“ _You put a collar on him and inserted a microchip in him to monitor his every move. You bugged the room you_ graciously _gave to him. When he tried to run, you_ beat _him. And every night, he was forced into your bed, and touched by someone who hurt him—brutally. You terrorized him, you touched him during his heat when he did_ not _want you to—it doesn't matter if the touch was sexual or not, he still did not want you there,” Leo said, ticking the events off on his fingers as he went. “He's scared of you, and that's not something you fix easily. Yuri is more broken than he probably realizes, and that is all on you._ You _did this to him.”_

“ _I didn't want this,” Otabek muttered, dropping his gaze from the judgmental eyes of the American. “I wanted a lover, not a...slave.”_

“ _You were well on your way to totally destroying him,” Leo said seriously. “You should count yourself lucky that he's so stubborn, otherwise Yuri wouldn't be breaking, he'd be_ broken _, and there may have been no way to reverse it.”_

“ _What are we supposed to do now?” Viktor asked as he finally looked back up at Leo, his eyes still shining. “I don't want my—I don't want Yuuri to hurt, or be scared. He's precious to me, and I don't mean just as an omega to an alpha, I mean I care about_ him _. If Yuuri were to be suddenly replaced with another omega, I feel like I would be distraught. I don't know if it's really love, but I know that I want him to be happy. I want him to smile, and for me to be the source of his happiness.”_

“ _You can't decide that for him,” Leo said firmly, “only he can decide if you are to be the source of his happiness or not. You cannot force him to love you—either of you. Viktor, you need to give Yuuri space, and let him come to you. Treat him like a friend, not a husband. Let him decide whether you're worth loving or not. Otabek, you need to stop this obsessive-compulsive monitoring. He is eighteen, not eight. You need to treat him like a person, not a little kid who doesn't know to not shove a fork in a socket.”_

“ _But my father always said that omegas—” Otabek began, and Leo frowned at him._

“— _are you your father, or do you know better than him?” Leo asked, and Otabek blinked. “Yuri Plisetsky is an omega, but that is not_ all _he is. I'd only spent about five minutes with him, and even I could see that. I saw a very strong young man who has had a hard life, someone passionate who does not let his social standing define him. What do you see, Otabek? Is he only an omega to you, a body to fuck and breed, or is he more than that?”_

 

~*~

 

Rustling drew Otabek from sleep, and he blinked bemusedly, his mind caught in a cloud of memory. Talking to Leo had been hard, and he had not quite realized just how badly he had been treating Yuri until he'd spoken to him. It forced him to see things clearly, but even now, Otabek wasn't certain whether it was too late or not.

Perhaps it already was, given how Yuri bolted the first chance he got.

It took far too long for Otabek's mind to wake up, and register what he was witnessing—what the doctor was _doing_ right in front of him. When it clicked, Otabek jumped into action.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Otabek demanded as he leapt up, and the doctor jumped back from the bed in alarm, dropping the cloth cuff he'd been holding.

“I'm sorry, sir, but you said he was a flight risk, so restraining him is for his own good—” the doctor began, but quailed with fright when Otabek turned his infuriated glare on him.

“Release him, now.”

“But sir—!”

“ _Now_. This is how I almost lost him. Release him, or I swear, you will regret it.”

With trembling hands, the doctor stepped up to Yuri's bedside, and quickly unbuckled the wrist that had been bound, and collected the other cuff off the floor.

“M-my apologies, Mr Altin,” the doctor said shakily, “I was only acting in Yuri's best interest. If he wakes and panics, he will do more harm to himself.”

“If he wakes up restrained, _that_ is what will make him panic,” Otabek said firmly. “The morphine in his system will keep him calm, as you should know, given that you are a _doctor of medicine_.”

“It was a precaution,” the doctor tried to explain, “it is common with patients who are liable to flee...”

“He is not a prisoner,” Otabek replied firmly. “I won't have him treated like one.”

“I'm sorry, sir,” the doctor repeated, and bowed his head. “Of course, you know him better than I do.”

Otabek grimaced, uncertain how much of that was true. He sat back down next to Yuri, and rested one hand over his.

“How long was I asleep?” Otabek asked the doctor, who was still hovering uncertainly, as though he did not know whether his presence would be welcomed or not.

“Not long,” the doctor replied, “maybe two hours, at most. It should be a while before he wakes yet. Shall I speak to one of your people about bringing in a more comfortable chair for you, sir?”

“This is fine,” Otabek replied without taking his eyes off Yuri, and closed his other hand over the omega's, sandwiching the limb between them. Yuri's skin felt hot, but not burning. The doctor muttered something, but Otabek did not turn to him, and assumed that it was a salutatory remark of some kind as he saw the man slink out of the room in his peripheral vision.

Otabek held onto Yuri's hand like one might cling to the side of a life boat. He blinked, and tears streaked his cheeks. He did not bother to wipe them away.

 “Please wake up, Yuri,” Otabek whispered hoarsely, “please give me a chance to change for you, and give you a life that you deserve. _Please_.”

Otabek shifted his chair a little closer to the bed, his face lined with worry. Save for the hand closed between his, he did not touch the omega, and ignored the burning _need_ he felt in his desire to do more—to caress his face, or kiss his forehead. _Not again_ , Otabek reminded himself, remembering his conversation with Leo. He would _never_ touch Yuri without his permission ever again.

Otabek dozed, and night had given way to day as he slept. When he next woke, there was an unread text message from Davies on his phone.

_Found him. Nikolai Plisetsky lives in a tiny fishing village in the middle of nowhere. Will take at least a day to drive back if all goes well._

Smiling to himself, Otabek went back to his contacts, and selected the names of two of the housemaids.

_Please have a second bed brought up to Yuri's room, and space made in his closet for a guest._

Otabek paused to listen to the soft scurrying of the house's servants hastening to do what he'd asked, then focused his full attention on the sleeping omega once more.

He smiled, and squeezed Yuri's hand gently. The strangest part was not the act of fetching Yuri's grandfather, but more in how he felt about it. Otabek was excited, but strangely, not for the reason he had expected.

Otabek was excited to see Yuri's _reaction_ , and not for the possibility that Yuri's feelings towards _him_ might change. Otabek was rather surprised that he really, truly did not care if Yuri thanked him or not, or even began to _like_ him after he was reunited with the old man.

Whether Yuri liked him or hated him for this small act was inconsequential.

True, Otabek liked to think that Yuri would at least begin to see that he meant what he said, and no longer wished to treat Yuri as a child, or an object, but Otabek felt that he did not deserve such a gift—not yet.

Otabek Altin had a lot to make up for, and this was only the beginning.

 


	14. New Beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next update will be November 7th

Chapter Thirteen – New Beginnings

 

Mist.

Yuri could not see or hear anything; the world was lost in a haze.

He could feel a dull, distant bodily ache. He hurt— _why_ did he hurt? Yuri couldn't remember.

Yuri moaned, and tried to sit up, but his movements were slow and sluggish, hindered by his bone-deep exhaustion, like he was a dinosaur trapped in tar. Around him, the white mist did not fade. It fogged his sight as thoroughly as it did the contents of his own mind. The last thing he remembered acutely was leaving Otabek's house. What could have happened to cause such a great lapse of memory?

“ _Where am I?_ ”

He spoke the words without expecting a response, and when a voice responded to him, the low timbre of an elderly man, and not a younger one, Yuri found himself caught completely by surprise.

“ _Yuratchka, you are home,” it said gently. “You are safe; no one here will hurt you.”_

_I know that voice..._

It was genuine struggle to step from his dreams and into the waking world. The dreams were warm, comforting, and to return to harsh reality meant dealing with whatever it was that had brought him to this _pain_.

Unwillingly, Yuri cracked his eyes open.

The light made them sting, and his vision swam. Memory upon memory assaulted his mind as everything came rushing back all at once.

_The escape—the attack—Otabek._

Otabek had saved his life.

Yuri blinked hard, and slowly the room came into focus. As it did, he felt his heart sink. He was back in the manor. He recognized the infirmary well enough from his explorations of the expansive house, though he could not recall ever being in the room before this. It smelled sharply of antiseptic, and felt unnervingly _clean_ , almost too pristine to be real.

In his peripheral vision, Yuri could see someone sitting next to him. He turned to him, and blinked again in quiet shock. He blinked a second time to be certain, but the vision did not fade.

“Welcome back, Yuratchka,” Nikolai Plisetsky said warmly, and Yuri felt tears sting his eyes.

“G-Grandpa?” Yuri asked, uncaring how his voice cracked weakly. “Is—is it really you?”

Nikolai reached forward and rested a hand over one of Yuri's.

“It's me, Yuri. I am here, and you're _lucky_ to be here too. Mr Altin fetched for me the moment they returned and you were tended to,” Nikolai explained. “From the lavish gifts his helper all but threw at me, it seemed as though he was determined I come to see you at any cost.”

Yuri's expression soured at this, but he kept his mouth shut. His grandfather still stood as the _only_ person Yuri was ever polite to, and kept his rude retort to himself. Even so, he chortled at Yuri's expression.

“I got the impression that he cares for you a great deal, with how he spent hours and hours sitting at your bedside with me,” Nikolai said gently, “do you not like him?”

“He and I...we have a complicated relationship,” Yuri muttered awkwardly, while he gazed down at his knees and fiddled with the thin blanket. Despite the fact that he was overjoyed to see his grandfather, he couldn't help but wonder, too. Why was he here? What was Otabek planning? And most importantly, what was his punishment going to be this time? He'd run away again, after all, there was a way these things are done.

The memory of his last punishment floated to the surface of his mind, and he shivered.

“Most alpha and omega pairs do,” Nikolai replied gently, drawing Yuri from his thoughts. “You are very lucky, he went to great lengths to get me here, and as you know, that is not very common.”

“I'm just not sure what his motives are for bringing you here,” Yuri mumbled, and glanced back up at his grandfather. His warm smile did not change as he looked down at his grandson, and once again Yuri averted his gaze.

“I did overhear him ranting and raving about how his happiness no longer mattered, and all he wanted was for _you_ to be happy,” Nikolai said at last, “perhaps it has something to do with that.”

“Well, I guess that—wait, _what_?” Yuri's gaze snapped up to his grandfather, who was still smiling at him warmly.

“Based on the theatrics that came with his rages, it seemed as though _that_ particular personality quirk was new,” Nikolai said, his tone almost teasing, “was he ever...did he hurt you, Yuratchka?”

“Depends on your meaning of _hurt_ ,” Yuri mumbled as everything that had happened over the last few months flooded into his mind. He clenched his eyes shut, but before he could even get a handle on his anguish, he felt tears sting his eyes and streak his cheeks.

A warm, withered hand closed over Yuri's, and between pathetic sniffles, he looked up at the older man, who was regarding him with a familiar, comforting smile.

“It is over, Yuri,” he said gently as he patted Yuri's hand. “Tell me everything, and let it go.”

And he did.

Yuri held back nothing, and told his grandfather everything that had happened since he was first taken to his first Omega House. He told of his determination to escape, his multiple beatings for his insolence, all the way to his recapture a few months ago, and Otabek's claim on him. He detailed everything Otabek said, his beating following his first escape attempt, the lonely isolation, the way he often felt like a child, how Otabek never saw him as a _person_ , merely an _object_. He talked of how terrified he always felt, and not just for himself, but for Yuuri, Minami, and the others as well.

Yuri talked for close to an hour, and his throat ached, his face was wet with tears, but he did not allow himself to stop. He could rest when the whole story had been told, and his grandfather knew every single detail of his harrowing ordeal.

Yuri ended his tale with the detail of his second escape attempt and his altercation with the tiger that led him back to the manor—his prison.

“I don't know what will happen now,” Yuri said in a hoarse mumble while he directed his words to his knees, “I don't know what Otabek will do, or what my p-punishment will be, or even why he brought you here—the _real_ reason, I mean.” Yuri glanced up at his grandfather as he finished, and he saw a startling display of tears upon the older man's face to match his own.

Nikolai abandoned all polite pretenses, and he pulled his grandson into a tight hug. He was careful to not jar him too badly or upset his injuries, and Yuri clung to him as he broke down completely and wept into his grandfather's old brown work shirt. The garment was oil-stained and it smelled of fried fish. The odour, far from unpleasant, made Yuri feel as though at last— _at last_ he was finally home.

“Oh, Yuratchka, I do not think you know Mr Altin as well as you think you do,” he said gently, and rubbed the sobbing omega's back consolingly. “He did not bring you back here to imprison you, that much is obvious. He was scared _for you—_ he was terrified that you would never wake up. He blamed himself for everything that had happened to you. Never in my life have I seen someone so overwhelmed with grief and regret.”

Yuri bit the inside of his cheek, hiccoughing sobs petering out as anguish was replaced by frustration. How could his grandfather _know_ Otabek? He'd only met him within the last few days—he was certain he couldn't've been asleep for longer than that, given that his hair hadn't grown at all—a small sign that the passage of time between his attack and regaining of consciousness was fairly short.

_Maybe he's just saying that to make me feel better,_ Yuri thought bitterly, _Grandpa can't be bought, I know that for sure. The only thing I can come up with is that he's just trying to keep me calm. Maybe he'll tell me what he really thinks once I can walk normally again._

Nikolai moved back to the chair he'd been sitting in after he helped Yuri to get back into a comfortable position upon the hospital bed. Without being asked, and knowing that Yuri would want to know anyway, he filled Yuri in on all he'd missed since being taken away. There wasn't much; in most ways his grandfather's life hadn't really changed, though he did admit to donating the extra money he made from his carvings to the OLF, instead of using it for food or upkeep of the house, which was a surprise.

“I was a foolish old man,” Nikolai said, and reached out to pat Yuri's hand again. “I did not realize just how painful losing you would be, and when I started to hear stories about what actually happened in those Houses...well, I am just too old to stand on the front lines with those young protesters, but I do what I can to help them, in the hopes that I could get you back one day.” Nikolai's expression fell a little. “I am sorry, Yuri—I am sorry that you had to endure this.”

“It's not your fault, Grandpa,” Yuri replied, though he directed his answer to his knees as he spoke. “I...I know that you had no choice, I don't blame you for any of this.”

“Ah, but perhaps you should,” he said with a small, humourless smile. “Perhaps if I had fought harder for you, none of this would have happened.”

“No.” Yuri shook his head, and finally glanced back up to his grandfather. “Grandpa, I don't blame you for this. You didn't choose to let me go, and they might have hurt you if you'd tried to do something. I'd feel even worse if something bad happened to you.”

Nikolai's guilty look began to dissolve, and he reached over for Yuri's hand again. Smiling, Yuri reached out at the same time, and offered the limb a small squeeze.

“You're a good boy, Yuratchka.”

A soft tapping on the bedroom door drew Yuri and Nikolai from their bubble of conversation, and they both looked up to see Otabek peering in the door with a look of uncertainty upon his face. Yuri's stomach turned over uneasily at the sight of the alpha, but Nikolai, in contrast, offered him a nod and small smile in greeting. Yuri's stomach roiled with jealousy at the sight of the expression, but he tried to keep his face blank.

“Yuri, Mr Plisetsky,” Otabek said as he addressed Yuri and Nikolai politely. “Yuri, I need to speak to you in private, then I need to speak to both of you. Would you be comfortable speaking with me without Nikolai present?”

Yuri bit his lip as he glanced from his grandfather to Otabek and back again. In truth, he did not want his grandfather to leave his side. What if he didn't come back? At the same time however, Yuri could assume that Otabek was going to detail his punishment, and he did _not_ want his grandfather to hear that.

Reluctantly, he nodded.

Nikolai did not protest, but merely nodded as he stood up, offered Yuri's shoulder a gentle, reassuring squeeze, and ambled out of the room.

Otabek waited until Nikolai had slipped outside before he shut the infirmary door behind him and refocused his attention on Yuri. The omega instinctively shrunk back against the pillows, and he felt his heart jump into his throat as Otabek crossed the room and took the chair that his grandfather had occupied not a full minute before.

As usual, Otabek's face was completely unreadable, but blank and calm. Yuri felt his fear amplify when Otabek steepled his fingers and regarded the omega with his full attention.

“So what's it going to be this time?” Yuri asked nervously, unable to keep his voice from quivering, and Otabek raised his eyebrows in question.

“I beg your pardon?”

“My punishment,” Yuri clarified, “what's it going to be this time?”

Otabek's eyebrows seemed to raise even higher, and it was a long moment of awkward silence before the alpha spoke again.

“I believe nearly getting eaten by a tiger is punishment enough,” Otabek said dryly. “So let that be a lesson to you or whatever.”

Yuri smiled weakly, and Otabek lurched forward slightly, as though he intended to touch him, but at the last moment seemed to think better of it, and eased back in his seat.

“As you recall,” Otabek began, his voice trembling a little, which came as something as a shock to Yuri—he couldn't recall ever heard his voice shake before. At least, not out of nervousness. “At the party, Leo de la Iglasia's omega, Guang-Hong, made a remark about your...erm, _devices_ being barbaric. Cruel.”

“I remember,” Yuri replied with a stiff nod. He said no more, and tried to conceal his uncertainty as to where the conversation was headed. He didn't like not knowing.

“At first, I was horrified with myself,” Otabek continued. “I just wanted you so much, I wanted to keep you safe, and I was just...I was very scared of leaving you alone only to have you run away. I didn't quite see it as I should have—like an invasion of privacy.

“In the week after the party, I tried to justify my actions to myself,” Otabek continued. “I was just protecting you, it was for your own good...but they were feeble excuses, I knew that. During that time, Viktor called me over, and it seemed as though Leo had remarked something similar to him in regards to how quickly Viktor had bedded Yuuri. He was very much like me—he didn't really _think_ about what he was doing. It was the way these things have been done in this country since the seventeen-hundreds, why would it change?

“We decided that we needed an outsider's opinion, and Viktor called Leo on behalf of both of us and arranged a meeting. It was...hard. You have met him, you know that he has a cheerful personality, but he held nothing back with us. He did not allow us to hide behind our excuses, and was very blunt about all the damage that we have done to the both of you. It was difficult to hear, but I knew that he was right. That was two days before I removed your tracking implements, and then...”

Otabek trailed off, but he did not need to say it.

_Then you ran away._

Despite Otabek's heartfelt explanation, Yuri still did not feel sorry for having bolted. He wanted _out_ , and now Otabek knew how deeply that determination to flee ran. Certainly, he knew what would happen when Yuri got full use of his legs again. Yuri opened his mouth to speak, but Otabek got there first.

“I want to apologize to you now, Yuri,” Otabek said as he focused his gaze intently on the omega, his fingers twisting together in a surprising display of nervousness. “I want to apologize for my selfishness, my jealousy, and my possessiveness—if I had treated you decently from the start, if I had had enough common sense to treat you like a _person_ , not an object, maybe none of this would have happened. I'm sorry, Yuri, I'm sorry for _everything_.”

Otabek's voice caught, and he looked away from Yuri. If he wasn't mistaken, Yuri was almost certain that he could see a gleam of tears in the alpha's eyes.

“I am sorry for collaring and microchipping you like an animal, I am sorry for touching you without your consent, I am sorry for forcing you to share a bed with me when it was _clear_ that you didn't want to be there, I am sorry for beating you when you tried to escape, I am sorry for threatening you with rape, I am sorry for spying on you through implements in your collar and in your bedroom,” Otabek said, taking the time to speak each sin slowly, and not rush through them like he was composing a list of some kind. Yuri felt himself go a little cold as Otabek voiced the last one, and the alpha hung his head, not bothering to attempt to defend himself. “I do not expect forgiveness, now or in the future. In point of fact, I don't think I deserve it, either—not after all that I've done.”

Yuri appreciated the sentiment. To expect immediate forgiveness would have shown that Otabek was apologizing to make himself feel better, and not because he felt genuine remorse for what he had done. To _not_ ask for it was telling that Otabek may not have completely learnt his lesson, not yet—but he was learning.

However, there was one thing Yuri knew that he needed to address first, before he could contemplate the grand scheme of all that had happened.

_I am sorry for spying on you through implements in your collar and in your bedroom._

_What did Otabek put in my bedroom?_

“You... _spied_ on me?” Yuri asked, his voice just barely above a horrified whisper, and Otabek flinched as though Yuri had struck him. “ _Why?_ What the hell did you have to gain from _spying_ on me?”

“I had a microphone in your collar, cameras and more microphones in your room, and sensors around your door,” Otabek said hollowly, his gaze focused on his knees again as he dug into his pocket and dropped a number of tiny items across Yuri's blanket-covered thighs.

At first, Yuri had thought that they were tiny false diamonds, but as he picked them up one by one to inspect them, he realized that they were the crushed remains of tiny hidden cameras and microphones. Handling them made him feel cold and uneasy, and as he studied the pieces, Otabek resumed speaking.

“They're all gone now, I didn't think you'd believe just my words. I can show you the house surveillance room where all the footage streams to, so that you can see that everything connected to your bedroom is disconnected—permanently. I also had all the wires cut for the sensors around your doors to make sure that it would be next to impossible to start up again without rewiring practically the whole house. I—that was what my father always told me to do with a new omega—put him under surveillance, I mean,” Otabek explained, his voice riddled with shame. “It was for his safety, he always said. But...after you escaped, I realized that it did no good whatsoever, except invade your privacy and make you hate me more when you finally found out.”

“We wouldn't want that...” Yuri mumbled sarcastically, and Otabek's mouth quirked into a small smile.

“I just want...” Otabek trailed off and shook his head. “I don't want you to hurt yourself, so I just want to ask you to _please_ not try any more escape attempts until you've healed, please? You will probably still be recovering through your heat, so I'll have your drugs made available to you, as usual.”

Yuri opened his mouth angrily, immediately intending to contradict him, when the particular word Otabek had used flooded into his mind, closely followed by his tone, and it gave Yuri pause.

_Please._

It was not an order that Otabek was issuing him, but a simple request.

He was _asking_ Yuri to temporarily halt his escape attempts, in order to keep him from hurting himself further.

“I can do that,” Yuri confirmed, though the words still grated on him—he didn't like the implication that he was bowing to a command, even as he reminded himself that it wasn't a command—not really, anyway. “Um, since you mentioned the party...have you gotten anywhere with Minami?”

At this, Otabek's entire expression seemed to close off. It all fell behind a blank, featureless curtain, and Yuri felt his stomach turn over uneasily.

“I think I'm close,” Otabek replied after a moment, “if all goes well, we'll have another omega running around the manor inside a month. He is well-protected though, so it may take some time. Do you understand?”

“Yeah,” Yuri said as he nodded his head once. “Just...” Yuri trailed off and shook his head. He felt like it was a bit of a waste to tell him to _hurry_ , when it was obvious that getting to Minami wasn't as simple as strolling up to the house and stealing him away. “I understand.”

Otabek offered him a smile—a warm, grateful smile that he had never seen before. On another, it may have looked soft and reserved, but on Otabek, it was as good as if he was beaming at Yuri, his mouth stretched in a wide grin. The sight of it made Yuri feel strangely light, and his skin seemed to tingle the longer it went on.

The interview seemed to be over, and Yuri watched in curious silence as the alpha stood up and moved back over to the door. Otabek opened it a crack, and Yuri heard him say, “please join us, we're finished.”

Nikolai stepped back in and offered Yuri a small smile as he took the seat that Otabek had just vacated, and the alpha dragged over a second chair to sit alongside the older man.

“Mr Altin, you said that you wanted to talk with the both of us?” Nikolai prompted when Otabek did not immediately speak, and the alpha nodded.

“Yes, sir,” Otabek replied, and bowed his head in a clear display of gathering his thoughts, then refocused his gaze on Yuri and his grandfather.

“I have made many of mistakes in these last months,” Otabek began, his tone far from nervous and uncertain this time, but strong and self-assured. “I have done far too much damage to completely rectify it, as far as I'm concerned, but, Yuri, now I am going to fulfill your greatest wish.”

“My greatest wish?” Yuri asked, blinking owlishly as he stared at the alpha. Otabek smiled a little, as though he was about to bestow Yuri with a gift of some kind. After a pause, he spoke, and indeed if words were a gift, this certainly was one of the highest order.

“Yuri,” Otabek said gently, “I am letting you leave.”


	15. Choices

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next update will be November 14th. I am being swamped by work right now, so I didn't have as much time as usual to edit this. Hope you guys enjoy it nonetheless! :)

Chapter Fourteen – Choices

 

“Wh-what?” Yuri stared at the alpha in shock, certain that he'd misheard him.

“I am doing what I should have done a long time ago,” Otabek explained patiently, “and I am letting you leave.”

“But you can't,” Yuri protested, then too late realized how that could sound, and as he strove to ignore the way his face grew warm as he elaborated. “I mean, if I leave, a House Catcher will just pick me up again, and I'll be back at square one.”

Yuri wanted to be angry, but when Otabek answered the omega's point with a smile, he found himself caught by confusion instead.

“Considering I have no plans of making you endure that again, I have two options for you,” Otabek said with a note of confidence in his voice. “You and your grandfather can choose the one that best suits your needs; I won't try to sway you one way or the other. If you don't like my suggestions, by all means, let me know if there's something else you'd prefer.”

Otabek paused, and he levelled his gaze with Yuri and Nikolai. Yuri, too stunned to speak, was unable to say much of anything, and instead gaped at Otabek with a blank look of shock. After a moment of silence, Otabek resumed his speech.

“I have sifted through Russia's laws, but I cannot find anything that would guarantee you safe passage if I were to relinquish property rights of you,” Otabek began, steepling his fingers as he spoke, and he focused his gaze momentarily upon his knees before he returned his gaze to Yuri. “Someone from an Omega House would come to fetch you right away if I did that, and we'd be all right back where we started.” Yuri inclined his head in a small nod of understanding; in this, he understood that Otabek wasn't bluffing. He'd read through the laws quite thoroughly himself before he turned sixteen, and he knew Otabek was not making anything up—yet. Yuri still could not let go of that final tendril of doubt that there _had_ to be a catch somewhere in all of this.

“What do you propose, then?” Nikolai asked, and he, too, carried a guarded tone to his words, for which Yuri was grateful. His grandfather had always been a trusting man, but he seemed to at least have a better measure of Otabek than Yuri had anticipated—to blindly trust an alpha, especially one like Otabek would be a massively bad move.

“I've come up with two options, as I said,” Otabek replied smoothly, as though completely unbothered by Yuri and Nikolai's lack of trust in his sentiments. “The first is you two leave the country. Denmark, Sweden, wherever you want to go that is safer for omegas, I will get you there and offer you a small sum for a house and whatever equipment you might need to resume your fishing business, if you wish, or enough for you to retire comfortably, Mr Plisetsky.”

Nikolai nodded, though the expression was stiff, and Yuri doubted that Otabek had caught the edge of disapproval upon his grandfather's face. Nikolai Plisetsky had never been one to accept handouts in any capacity.

“What is your second offer, Mr Altin?” Nikolai asked, his voice adopting a cold edge to it, and Otabek frowned a little, though he did not comment on the older man's tone.

“The second option I have come up with is to smuggle Yuri out of the city, to another part of the country, and both of you would undergo something of a... _makeover_. I'd arrange for you two to have your names changed, and Yuri would be given Betacitomol.”

Stunned silence followed Otabek's words. _Betacitomol_ was not unknown to Yuri, but he never thought he'd hear _Otabek_ make mention of it. Yuri stared at him, expecting him to suddenly proclaim that he was kidding (barring the fact that Yuri couldn't remember Otabek ever making a joke about anything in the time that he'd known him) but his expression did not change. Before Yuri could remark on this, his grandfather got there first.

“And next you'll tell us that you have the Holy Grail stashed in your home somewhere,” Nikolai replied in a derisive tone that Yuri had never heard him use before. “The drug that masks the omega scent and makes them register to an alpha's senses as a beta? It is a _myth_ , Mr Altin.”

Without a word, Otabek reached into his pocket and withdrew a plastic prescription bottle filled with little blue pills. Even at a distance, Yuri could easily read the label.

_Betacitomol._

“I suppose they don't make myths like they used to,” Otabek said dryly, his mouth twitching at the corners into a small smirk. He slid the bottle back into his pocket, and nodded at Yuri and Nikolai in turn. “I'll leave you two alone to discuss it,” he said, and excused himself from the room without another word.

Yuri watched him go, his free arm picking absently at his cast. His grandfather reached over and gently pulled his hand away, and at the same time drawing the omega's attention back to him.

“What would you like to do, Yuri?” he asked, and Yuri shrugged, though he immediately regretted it when the small action caused his shoulders to ache painfully from the still-healing marks upon his back.

“I don't know,” he replied belatedly as he settled back against his pillows. “I'm still having a hard time processing the idea of leaving this place—and it's not like I can for a little while—not like this, anyway. And I don't want to make you learn a whole new language or culture just for me, and—”

“—the most important thing to me is making sure that you are safe,” Nikolai interrupted, “and I will do that no matter if I have to learn one new language, or one hundred. I feel that it would be safer to leave the country, but it is up to you. This is your life, Yuratchka, and your decision.”

“I don't know,” Yuri said with a small groan, and reached his uninjured hand up to massage at his temples. “I don't know what is a safer option.”

“If we leave the country and acquire citizenship, the government here cannot order you to return and send you to another Omega House. It takes time, though, but I think your... _friend_ might be able to help us on that front. If we leave, it is likely we would never be able to return, Yuri.”

“I'll never see my friends again,” Yuri filled in, and Nikolai nodded solemnly.

“I am afraid so,” he replied, and nodded once, before his expression turned stern. “Do not make your decision for them, Yuratchka,” he said seriously, “you must do what is best for you. Friends come and go in life, but this decision will affect your entire future. In this, you must be selfish.”

_I must be selfish._

Images of Yuuri and Minami floated into his mind's eye, and he felt his stomach turn over guiltily. Could he really abandon them to save his own skin? Did he even have a _choice_?

“Grandpa, what should I _choose_?” Yuri asked him desperately, “what is even the right decision?”

Nikolai smiled sadly, but didn't answer.

 

~*~

 

The days passed slowly, and still Yuri came to no decision.

With the help of his grandfather, Yuri was transported back to his bedroom, where he came to find that a second bed had been brought up. When Nikolai wasn't sleeping on it, he was sitting up with Yuri and keeping him company. Otabek stepped in occasionally to check in on them, but was always quick to leave again. Each time, Yuri did not miss the look of genuine longing and grief in the alpha's eyes, though to Yuri it appeared as though Otabek was making an effort to hide his anguish. Yuri understood now that Otabek really and truly did not want him to go, but he was letting him go nonetheless.

The alpha, it seemed, had finally learnt to put someone else's needs above his own.

Yuri _hated_ how indecisive that was making him.

He couldn't stay here—he _wouldn't_.

So why was he suddenly so reluctant to leave?

Yuri came to no answer to the question that plagued him, and once again, forced it to the back of his mind.

 

~*~

 

Two weeks later Yuri was still laid up in bed, but with a visitor at his side.

Yuuri was smiling at him warmly, and he looked happier and healthier than Yuri could recall ever seeing him before. At sixteen weeks, his stomach was still not very large, but big enough with the three lives inside him that he could no longer be mistaken for simply bloated. Yuuri looked distinctly flushed, which he claimed was from the pregnancy and not some kind of strange embarrassment, but otherwise he looked happy and content.

Despite Otabek's dire warnings that he shouldn't, Yuri took a chance and told Yuuri everything that had happened—including their escape plans.

Predictably, Yuuri's eyes flooded with tears as he reached for Yuri's uninjured hand, and he gave it a firm squeeze.

“Oh, Yuri, that's _amazing,_ ” Yuuri sniffed and rubbed his eyes. “Of course I won't tell anyone, but I'll miss talking to you. You're my best friend.”

Yuri blinked.

_Best friend?_

“No one's called me their best friend before,” Yuri blurted out before he could think better of it, and Yuuri squeezed his hand a little harder.

“Well, you're mine,” Yuuri replied with a watery smile. “You're a voice of reason in a place that's governed by emotion and instinct. You need to do what's right for you, of course, but I really will miss you. Maybe we can learn Morse Code and send audio messages to each other, or something, until you get citizenship wherever you end up, if you decide to leave the country, I mean.”

“Or something,” Yuri replied with a weak laugh, and Yuuri's small smile brightened. “You look...good, by the way. Did something happen? I don't think I've ever seen you this happy.”

“Nothing really big,” Yuuri said as he shrugged, “Viktor's just been...really good lately. Sort of like between you and Otabek. Just...lots of personal stuff, but trying to give me as much freedom as he can, and make up for...” Yuuri trailed off, and brushed his hand across his abdomen significantly.

“Not sure anything can really make up for _that_ ,” Yuri pointed out, “I mean, he practically r—”

“—he didn't,” Yuuri interrupted, and Yuri's eyes widened a little in shock at the cold note of warning in his friend's voice. “He _never_ mistreated me like that. Even Viktor said he did _that_ but he didn't...I _know_ he didn't.” Yuri blanched as Yuri's eyes became distinctly glassy, but he continued before Yuri could interject an apology. “I don't care, Yuri, I know I probably sound like a nutcase, but please, don't say it like that—because he _never_ hurt me like that. Maybe he did other things, but not—”

Yuuri broke off when a hiccoughing sob that stopped him from continuing. He cupped his face in his hands as his eyes flooded with tears, his cheeks blotchy, and Yuri opened and closed his mouth while he grasped at air, trying to think of what he could say that would calm Yuuri down. However, Yuuri continued before he could say a word.

“I—I know you have lots of strong feelings about our lives,” Yuuri said softly as he removed his glasses to mop his tears away with the edge of his sweater. “I do too, and a lot of bad things happen to us, and we are barely in control of any of it, and we don't have much choice beyond just needing to hope that a good alpha takes us in, and takes care of us. I _know_ it's not right, and I _know_ you won't agree that we should just lie down and take it, but, Yuri, I'm not like you. I'm not strong enough for that. Viktor has been s-so good to me lately, and I don't want to hear you saying things against him.”

Yuri stared at his friend, Yuuri breathing shallowly, and wiping his eyes again and again as he tried to staunch the flow of tears. He had no idea how much of what he had just said was the pregnancy hormones making him act this way, and how much of it was genuine. Did Yuuri _really_ not realize just how badly Viktor had messed him up? Why didn't he want to acknowledge what everyone knew—that Viktor _did_ rape him? Was pushing Yuuri to see the truth even a good idea in his state? Yuri had no idea. What he _was_ sure of however was the physical tells that Yuuri needed physical comfort, and he had a feeling that he knew exactly who Yuuri wanted right at that moment.

“I'm sorry,” Yuri said softly, “I didn't mean to upset you...do you want me to call Otabek to get Viktor for you?”

Yuuri let out something like a whimper, and wiped his eyes again as he nodded.

Yuri turned away from his friend and to the bedside table where an old iPhone model was resting. The last time he'd used a phone was when he was fifteen, and so relearning how to use one was proving a little challenging. However, he still remembered how to text, and composed a quick message to Otabek:

_Can you send Viktor up? Pregnancy hormones are making Yuuri a little needy._

Yuri sent off the text, and not a full minute later the silver-haired alpha burst into the room and made a beeline for Yuuri, acting as though Yuri, laid up in bed, was completely invisible.

Yuri watched uncomfortably as Viktor pulled Yuuri into his arms, and with another feeble sob, the omega threw himself at his mate. From such a close proximity, Yuri could hear practically every word of their private conversation.

“Yuuri, my Yuuri,” Viktor murmured as he pet his hair gently, “what's the matter? Did Yurio upset you?”(Yuri bristled at the use of his hated nickname, but did not interrupt.)

“No, not really,” Yuuri replied, and sniffed again, “just got...a little upset.”

“I can see that, come here...”

Viktor trailed off, and pulled Yuuri in for a gentle kiss. He stroked his hair, and whispered to him, little things so soft that Yuri had no chance of overhearing, even at such a short distance away. Yuri watched them with mingled fascination and unease. Viktor's eyes were soft, and a look of adoration rested there as he held onto his omega, rocking him as though he were a child, and letting Yuuri cling to him without complaint. His soft smile never wavered, and he appeared wholly unbothered by Yuuri's tears, but patiently waited for him to calm down. Slowly, their kisses petered out and Yuuri stopped crying. He lifted his head off Viktor's shoulder, his eyes a little puffy, and Viktor offered him another warm, adoring smile.

“Feel better?” Viktor asked while he reached out to brush a few stray tears from the omega's cheek. Yuuri nodded, and sniffed a little.

“I'm sorry,” Yuuri mumbled as he dropped his gaze, “I didn't mean to get so upset, I don't even know _why_ I got so upset...”

“Your body is in overdrive keeping the lives inside you healthy,” Viktor said, his tone indicating to Yuri that likely he'd told Yuuri this a few dozen times before. “Sometimes that makes you have...let's say, _different reactions_ to things.”

“I know, I'm sorry,” Yuuri repeated, and Viktor chuckled a little as he brushed a kiss to Yuuri's forehead.

“I'll be nearby if you need me; do you feel all right now?”

“Yeah,” Yuuri said as he nodded, and rubbed at his eyes again. “Sorry.”

Viktor appeared for a moment as though he was going to say something, perhaps remind Yuuri that he didn't need to say sorry, but instead he smiled warmly, offered Yuuri a gentle kiss and hug, then left the pair of omegas alone.

“He really cares for you,” Yuri observed, and Yuuri smiled bashfully.

“I think so,” Yuuri replied, and smiled bashfully as he spoke. “I wasn't sure at first, but I think he does. I think...I care about him too, and...I—I think I could learn to love him.”

Yuri offered his friend a small nod, but did not remark on the repetitive quality of his statement. Clearly he was approaching the stage of his pregnancy where he reacted strongly to random things, and Yuri wasn't overly keen to upset him again. He wasn't sure how he felt about Yuuri and Viktor's situation, whether or not it was _okay_ to learn to love someone out of circumstance, especially someone who quite literally _raped_ them, and not be together simply because they want to be.

“If it's what you want, Yuuri, then I'm happy for you,” Yuri said at last, and the other omega smiled at him, apparently not noticing his lack of sincerity behind the words.

“It is...I mean, I _think_ it is.” Yuuri winced, and shook his head a little. “I don't know. But...what about you? Have you come to any decisions about Otabek's offer?”

Yuri winced at the question, and did not immediately answer. He could tell that it was Yuuri's attempt to get the conversation away from himself, but Yuri was no more keen to discuss his situation than Yuuri was. He picked at a loose thread on the blanket he lay on, and he tried to think of how to answer him.

“Yuri?” Yuuri asked tentatively, and Yuri heaved a sigh.

“No,” he said at last, his voice escaping him as a heavy, defeated sigh. “I have no idea what to do. I mean, I know that leaving the country is the best option, but my grandpa is _old_. His whole life is here. He told me to be selfish with my decision, and I know which would be the better option for us, but how can I ask him to just...just...leave everything he knows behind and start in a new place, with a new language and culture and everything?”

“It's a small price to pay for your lives,” Yuuri said seriously. “All of you are taking a huge risk doing this, and if you're caught...If you're lucky, you'll go back to an Omega House, but more likely, you'll be sent to a Foster Alpha for retraining.”

Both omegas shivered at that.

“And what would happen to Otabek, do you think?” Yuri asked uncertainly, and when Yuuri gave him a knowing look, he felt his face get very warm.

“I don't know,” Yuuri replied with a small shrug, “I don't know how punishments for alphas work, and I never thought to ask Viktor about it.” He paused, and regarded the younger omega again. “Do you want me to? Ask him, I mean.”

“No, that's fine,” Yuri said awkwardly, “I think I'd rather not know. Anyway, in this country there probably isn't any sort of real punishments for alphas.”

“Hmm,” Yuuri nodded, a small grimace upon his face. The truth of the statement was far from pleasing, and it did little beyond reaffirm to Yuri that despite his reservations, leaving the country was still his safest option.

Before Yuri could offer his friend any sort of proper answer, a soft tapping on the bedroom door drew the pair from their conversation, and they looked over to see Otabek poking his head inside. Yuri twined his fingers through the blanket he lay on, and he frowned at the way his whole body seemed to tingle with anticipation at the mere sight of the alpha.

“Sorry to interrupt, but, Yuri, may I speak with you a moment?” Otabek asked, “privately?”

The pair of omegas exchanged a look, and with a shared mental shrug, they both refocused their gazes on Otabek.

“Yeah, sure,” Yuri said as Yuuri got up and took his leave of the room. He paused at the door, glancing back at his friend, and Yuri nodded once in encouragement before Yuuri finally slipped out, and Otabek closed the door behind him.

Otabek stepped toward Yuri, the omega fidgeting nervously as the alpha made his approach. His nerves, for once, were not brought on by Otabek's presence in the strictest sense, but rather a strange sort of relief at seeing him again. Yuri didn't know what it meant, and he didn't like this strange neediness he was now feeling for the alpha—how he would become stressed and uneasy if he went too long from seeing Otabek, even if it was brief, and Yuri did _not_ want to entertain this new dependence his brain seemed to have adopted for him—especially when he was supposed to leave once his injuries had healed.

After Otabek sat down, he shifted as though he wanted to reach out and touch Yuri, but curbed the impulse as he sat back and laced his fingers together. His expression was guarded and pensive, and Yuri found himself, as usual, at a loss for what could possibly be on his mind.

“I have some news about Minami,” Otabek said, and Yuri's breath stilled.

“Is he okay?” Yuri asked uncertainly, and Otabek's mouth twisted into a bitter smile.

“If you're asking if he's safely away from his alpha, then, yes, he's okay,” Otabek said, and Yuri's shoulders sagged with relief. “If you are asking if he is whole and well...then no, he is far from okay.”

“I don't understand,” Yuri said, and frowned at the alpha. “Is he okay or not?”

“Let me start from the beginning,” Otabek said as he rubbed his hand across his jaw in a movement of deep stress, though for once, Yuri wasn't sure what the cause of it was. “Mr Lee was a member of The Seven Star, or _Chil Sung Pa_ —an organized crime syndicate not unlike Japan's Yakuza. I had no way to get to Minami; Seung-Gil was too well-connected, and no matter what he's done, there was no way to bypass all of Lee's privacy measures and reach his omega.”

Yuri stared. Many of the words went right over his head, and he found himself wholly incapable of processing what he was hearing. _Minami, bound to a gangster?_ Yuri shook his head a little, and tried again to form his thoughts into a more clear and linear fashion. At the same moment, Yuri noted the tense in which Otabek spoke.

“ _Was?_ ” he asked, and Otabek smirked.

“I did not get where I am because of my looks, Yuri,” Otabek said, and withdrew from his pocket a tiny, empty vial.

Something about Otabek's cold smile suddenly made Yuri feel slightly sick, and his hands tensed into fists over his blankets.

“Otabek,” Yuri murmured nervously, “what did you do?”

“Absolutely nothing,” Otabek replied smoothly, though Yuri did not believe him for a second. “I attended a dinner recently, a number of my Asian investment groups were in attendance, so it was natural that we chose an Asian restaurant to conduct our business in—sushi, to be precise.

“It's fascinating, really, what lengths humans will go to prove themselves to their colleagues, and when I pronounced that I'd _never_ risk my life by eating something as dangerous as fugu—puffer fish—well, Mr Lee immediately ordered a platter of fugu sashimi for himself, and wouldn't you know, it can be poisonous—deadly, in fact—if incorrectly prepared.

“The next day, quite by chance, the police received a frantic call from a servant of the Lee household. Seung-Gil Lee was dead—fugu poisoning. Tragic, really, I hear death by tetrodotoxin is quite painful.”

Otabek looked markedly pleased with himself, but Yuri felt positively sickened. He couldn't deny that someone like Seung-Gil probably deserved what was coming to him, but at the same time, to gaze at Otabek and see his calm, pleased expression, as though he'd done some sort of good deed was deeply chilling to see.

“A-and what about Minami?” Yuri asked uncertainly.

“He's downstairs,” Otabek replied smoothly, apparently unaffected by his admittance that he'd committed murder. “He just got here. Michele had apparently put in a bid for him, but by a stroke of luck, I got there first. The authorities have agreed to let me shelter him either until an unbound alpha makes a bid for him, or a House has space to take him in. I called my doctor, and he is seeing to Minami's injuries, and I have made contact with a psychologist to assess the damage Mr Lee has done to his mind.” He paused and eased back a little in his seat, and as he levelled his gaze with Yuri again, his expression shifted from gratified to concerned. “What's wrong, Yuri? I thought you'd be pleased that your friend is out of danger.”

“No, I am glad that he's safe,” Yuri explained nervously, “but...but...you just...you _killed_ a man and you're acting like it's nothing.”

“I'd hardly call someone who hurts a person in their care a _man_ ,” Otabek countered, and Yuri's frown deepened.

“You still _killed_ someone, Otabek!” Yuri hissed, and he growled a curse when he felt a lump of emotion settle itself in his throat. “You...you didn't have to _kill_ him, just get Minami away from him!”

“And if it got back to him _who_ took his omega, there would be hell to pay,” Otabek countered with a frown, “the safest option to get Minami out of there and keep you from harm was the final option. I don't understand why you're so upset about this.”

“And I don't understand how you could be so _calm_ about this!” Yuri countered, his voice close to hysterical.

“You know what? Forget it,” Otabek snapped as he jumped up from his chair so quickly that it wobbled dangerously, and nearly toppled over. “I don't know what the hell I expected when I decided to do _as you asked_ and get that omega away from his alpha. I don't know _why_ I anticipated a thank-you or some sort of gratitude when you've systematically thrown my hospitality back in my face every single time. You know what, Yuri? I'm _glad_ I gave up on wooing you, I have never in my life met someone so ungrateful as you in my entire life, and maybe I will finally know some peace once you've gone.”

Before Yuri could say a word, Otabek stormed towards the door, and slammed it shut behind him.

Yuri stared at the shut door for a long time, assuming Otabek would come back and apologize. When he never did, Yuri tugged his blanket up to his chin, and valiantly ignored the unpleasant sting of unshed tears in his eyes.

Otabek had never been worth crying over, and Yuri refused to start now.

 


	16. Convalescence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: **Trigger Warning:** This chapter contains implied/referenced self-harm(cutting). 
> 
> I'm posting this early because Monday I need to stand in front of people and talk for like an hour and a half so I need a little happy between then and now. To make up for the upset in the posting schedule, I'll also be updating on Thursday (November 16th) after that, we'll be back to our usual schedule.

Chapter Fifteen – Convalescence

 

The days progressed slowly, and Yuri's injuries faded gradually, although never quickly enough to fully satisfy the omega's impatience for being bed-bound for such a long period of time. After two very long weeks he could finally walk again, albeit with a noticeable limp, which the doctor assured him would disappear in time. The deep gouges upon his back, chest, and legs were now little more than pink scars, the scabs recently shed, though they still twinged painfully if Yuri moved incorrectly.

The only physical reminder of his altercation with the tiger that remained was his arm wrapped in plaster. He had been assured the cast would come off soon, though the doctor had been frustratingly vague on how soon _soon_ actually was.

 

In the time from Yuri's argument with Otabek to the present moment, he had not seen the alpha once. Yuri had yet to work out how he felt about that, but he supposed that Otabek was still mad at him over his remarks regarding Minami's rescue.

In hindsight, Yuri knew that Otabek was probably right, that there had probably been very few ways for him to get Minami out without endangering himself or Yuri, but his absolute lack of remorse for his actions still deeply chilled the omega. Would the same thing happen to _him_ if he got on Otabek's bad side? Did the man even _have_ a conscience? Yuri wasn't entirely certain whether he wanted to find out.

Yuri shook his head minutely in an effort to dispel the dark thoughts, and the he refocused his attention the present—in particular, the other omega who sat in the library with him.

Minami was perched upon the opposite end of the sofa that Yuri sat upon, a cup of black coffee in front of Yuri, and hot chocolate for Minami. The omega was smiling nervously, dressed in one of Yuri's pairs of fitted jeans and an overlarge black pullover that almost fell to his knees. His hands had disappeared into the garment, and only reappeared when he periodically went for his drink.

Looking at the omega, it was painfully clear that Seung-Gil had positively terrorized him while under his so-called _care_. Minami's hands shook, he jumped at the smallest sound, his eyes were red and puffy as though he'd been crying recently; and though the bonding mark on his throat had faded, marking him as an available omega once more, Yuri could see other scars. A tiny triangle on his cheek, a jagged tear on his throat, and thin horizontal scars upon his inner forearms that Yuri suspected were _not_ caused by his former alpha.

“I'm okay, really,” Minami said softly when he caught Yuri watching him, his voice barely above a whisper as he cradled his hot chocolate in his hands. “Otabek has been very kind to let me stay here, and Yuuri-kun visited me when I was still recovering...and Otabek said that he would try and find a way to keep me here, away from a House, at least until I'm ready to face another alpha. He promised that he'd try and find someone for me, someone who was actually nice. B-but with you leaving...”

Yuri narrowed his eyes. He could hear the unspoken words. Did Minami want _his_ alpha?

_Wait, where did that come from?_ Yuri wondered as he shook his head minutely. _Since when did I consider Otabek...mine?_

“Do you...want him?” Yuri asked uncertainly, and a faint blush painted the young man's cheeks in response to the question. Yuri struggled to hide his suspicious glare behind his coffee cup, but he was not entirely certain how well he'd managed it.

“He...makes me feel safe,” Minami explained, “I like feeling safe. And he makes me feel like...like he'd never push. I don't think he even notices me, though.”

“He doesn't?” Yuri asked, and bit the inside of his cheek at the sudden sensation of relief that flooded through him. At the same time, Minami shook his head.

“He only has eyes for you, Yuri,” Minami replied with a small, knowing smile. “He always has.”

This time, it was Yuri's turn to blush.

“I don't think he does anymore,” Yuri mumbled as he sipped his coffee, “we had a big fight and he hasn't spoken to me since, and he said he'd _given up_ on me.”

“I don't think that's true,” Minami replied reassuringly, “he's very protective of you, I think he probably loves you, and he's just...he's still learning how to be a person. Alphas grow up very different than us, and I think he's still learning how to be someone you can trust...someone you can rely on.”

“When did _you_ get so damn wise?” Yuri mumbled, and Minami smiled weakly as he stared down into his mug. He did not respond, but shifted over to Yuri and curled into his side silently. Yuri jerked back slightly in alarm, startled by the sudden need Minami seemed to have for some sort of physical comfort, but a moment later he relaxed as he awkwardly placed his plaster-encased hand against Minami's shoulder, and patted him gently.

Minami eventually dozed off, and Yuri carefully eased the omega over to the opposite end of the sofa, enabling him to stand up for a quick trip to the bathroom.

On his way back, the low rumble of Otabek's voice stopped him short. Yuri paused outside the parlour, and listened.

“—I don't want to send him away too soon,” Otabek said to the person on the phone, “he's still recuperating, and I think sending him to another alpha would be a bad—no, no, I don't mean that. He's _very_ damaged; Seung-Gil really did a number on him, and I don't want to make things worse. I've made enough mistakes with my own omega, and I don't want to hurt anyone anymore.”

There was a pause, and Yuri could hear a tinny voice at the other end of the phone line, though he was too far away for him to make out the words.

“It doesn't matter what I want,” Otabek snapped suddenly, making Yuri jump. “No, it _really_ doesn't. I want Yuri here, I want him— _fuck,_ I want him so badly, I never thought it would be this hard to let him go, but all my attempts to get close to him just made things worse. Because of me, he almost _died_ , do you understand that? No, I'll send him away, somewhere safe, where he can be happy. I don't really expect any sort of thank-you, but I don't think I deserve it either...No, I _really_ don't. I've been...it's a miracle I didn't destroy him. I've done enough damage. I love him, more than I ever thought I would, but I need to let him go.”

Yuri pressed himself against the wall, and slid down to the ground. Tears burned in his eyes, but he couldn't fathom _why_ he was crying to begin with. This was a good thing, wasn't it?

He buried his face in his uninjured hand with a soft hiccough, and he trembled as he mopped his eyes and tried to calm down.

A sudden shadow cast over him as he sat there, and Yuri peered through his fingers to see Otabek standing over him, his face as impassive as ever. He froze, and watched as Otabek crouched before him, reached into his pocket, and withdrew a handkerchief. He held it out to Yuri silently, and Yuri accepted it with a soft, sniffling nod of thanks.

“Are you all right, Yuri?” Otabek asked, “I suppose you overheard me.”

“D-did you know I was out here when you said all that?” Yuri asked as he wiped his eyes, and he cursed silently at his feeble tone. He'd intended to _demand_ whether Otabek had staged it or not, and the weakened voice sounded positively pathetic in his own ears.

“No, I had not planned for you to hear any of that, Yuri,” Otabek replied at once, his mouth twitching into a small frown as he sat down across from the omega, and no longer loomed over him. “I didn't want you to feel guilty about leaving. I'm not sure you even would, but...I want to do right by you, whatever that might be. I don't want to hurt you any more, in _any_ way. You are precious to me, and I want you to live a happy life. I had always hoped that that would be with me, but I realize now that I can't make those decisions for you. I want you to be able to choose who to love, and with me here, you can't do that. I see that now.”

Yuri watched in quiet amazement as Otabek's voice shook a little, and he cleared his throat once, erasing the sound. Yuri did not miss the look of genuine longing in his eyes, nor the look of regret. Was this _love_ that he saw in the alpha's gaze?

“I'm sorry that I could not give you the life you deserve, Yuri,” Otabek continued, and for once, he sounded completely sincere and genuinely apologetic. “I'm sorry for all the damage and heartache that I have caused you, and...I'm sorry for upsetting you with my, erm, for the way I got Minami away from his alpha. It had never occurred to me that ridding the earth of scum like him would be a bad thing...”

“It's not really that,” Yuri said, his voice escaping him as a croak. He cleared his throat and tried again. “it's more that you just acted so...so... _cold_. Like you hadn't just _killed_ someone. It...you...you act like you have no feelings, and _that's_ what scares me. It makes me wonder about all the times you _heard_ me though my collar, and didn't do anything about it...or sicced JJ on me...”

“When I did _what_?” Otabek sputtered, his eyes bulging a little as he stared at Yuri. He did not sound angry at Yuri's remarks, but instead shocked and horrified. “Where on _earth_ did you get the idea that I sent JJ after you to accost you?”

“It's just a theory,” Yuri muttered and winced at the look in Otabek's eyes—the horror and anguish that Yuri had implied such a thing of him. He glanced away and stared down the hall at nothing in particular—anything to avoid the look Otabek was still giving him. “I mean, the two times JJ went after me, you showed up to save the day not thirty seconds later. Makes me wonder if you sent JJ after me to make yourself look good, that's all.”

“Yuri,” Otabek said seriously, his tone drawing Yuri's attention back to him, and when his eyes fell on the alpha, he saw his hands hovering over Yuri's uncertainly. “May I?”

Confused but intrigued, Yuri nodded his head. Otabek smiled, and closed two of his hands over one of Yuri's. He lifted the limb to his face, and pressed a gentle kiss to Yuri's palm before he closed both hands over the appendage again.

“The way I had your collar configured was it was hooked in wirelessly to the main anti-theft software of the house. It routed to the security and surveillance room first, then if my head of security heard anything shifty, he'd contact me right away. A lot of the things you said while wearing it, I did not hear until later. When JJ went after you, he contacted me, and I rushed to intervene, but I _never_ put him up to it, I swear.”

Yuri frowned as he studied the alpha's face. He sounded genuine, and his wide eyes seemed to be pleading with Yuri to believe him. His thumb brushed along the back of Yuri's hand, and he shivered a little at the touch, but not, he observed, a reaction in revulsion—it felt _nice_.

“I'm sorry,” Yuri muttered at last, and bowed his head a little. “In my head, I sort of want you to be the bad guy. You know, evil moustache and top hat, tie your hostage to the train tracks, soon my Destructo-Ray will Destroy Metropolis _bad_. And...you're not. You were...you were scary when I first got here, and ever since you keep changing you attitudes to suit me, and I've just been a little bitch about it...”

“Be fair to yourself, Yuri,” Otabek said softly, “for a long time I was not nice to you. I did a lot of horrible things because _I_ thought it was okay to act that way. For you to endure what you've endured and still come out of it more or less in one piece? You've taught me so much, and I am very glad that I met you. I just hope you know that I am trying to do what I can to make up for all that. After this is over and you are settled somewhere safer, you will never see me again. I promise.”

Otabek untangled one hand from Yuri's and touched his cheek lightly, and offered him a small smile. It was more of an emotional response than Yuri had seen him make in a very long while, and it left Yuri feeling mildly stunned. When he did not respond, Otabek stood fluidly, turned on his heel, and strode down the hall without even a backward glance.

Yuri watched him go, his stomach twisting itself into knots. _Why did it feel like I've lost something in that simple act?_ Yuri wondered.

And why, suddenly, did he feel like crying again?

 

~*~

 

After Yuri had _at last_ gotten rid of his cast and had full use of both of his arms again, Otabek intruded on Yuri and Nikolai playing cards in the parlour, his eyes strangely red, and a number of papers in his hands. Minami, still afraid of being alone, was sitting quietly in the corner and watching them play.

“I have some news for the two of you,” Otabek said as he brandished the papers in his hands significantly. “Minami, would you give us a moment, please?”

Minami visibly _brightened_ when Otabek addressed him directly, and Yuri narrowed his eyes at the younger omega. He watched him dart out of the parlour, and Yuri bit the inside of his cheek in an effort to keep his anger in check. _Who does that little tart think he is, anyway?_ Yuri thought sourly, _slobbering all over_ my _alpha like that—_

Yuri shook his head sharply.

_What the hell am I thinking? I'm_ leaving _Otabek, so why am I suddenly jealous of some little bird with two broken wings?_

“I've been searching around to try and find some options for the two of you,” Otabek began, drawing Yuri out of his anxious thoughts, “and I've found a few places that might work. If you don't like them, I'll go look for something else, all right?”

“Fine,” Yuri said, and Nikolai nodded in agreement. Otabek smiled, and his eyes met Yuri's for the briefest of moments. Again, Yuri could not help but notice just how red they seemed to be, and fleetingly wondered if the alpha had been crying.

_Ridiculous,_ Yuri thought as Otabek picked up the first wad of papers, _Otabek isn't the kind to get all weepy for anything._

“The first one I have is actually through a friend in Switzerland,” Otabek began as he flipped to a few printed-out photographs of a modest house in a city that Yuri did not recognize. “He's based in Berne, and is invested in a few national sport teams, wineries in Neuchâtel, as well as chocolatiers in Lucerne. He is a beta, and a bit...eccentric, but a good man—a flirt, though. He has enough political sway to rush through a citizenship, and until then he can shelter you in his home, or, if you prefer, he owns a number of apartment complexes in the city, and you can stay there instead.”

“How are Swiss laws for omegas?” Nikolai asked, and Otabek flipped to another page.

“Fairly good,” Otabek replied smoothly. “Omegas have almost all the same rights as alphas and betas, and right now they are pushing for a bill to remove the wage differences between alphas and betas, and omegas. They can own property, separate from alphas if they wish, and it is illegal in many parts of Switzerland to mark an omega, making it easier for an omega to leave if he's being abused by his spouse.”

“That doesn't sound too bad,” Yuri mused, “what are the other options you found?”

“The Netherlands I would say is your next best option,” Otabek said as he pulled out the next stack of papers, and showed them a number of photographs. This time Yuri recognized the city in the photographs as Amsterdam.

_Excellent,_ Yuri thought, just barely managing to hide an amused smile, _I can avoid getting accosted by alphas,_ and _get blazed._

“I have some investments over there, and a few properties,” Otabek continued, “and I know who to bribe in government to rush through your citizenship. Omegas have complete equal rights, and though marking an omega is legal, you need to process all sorts of paperwork in order to be allowed to do it. If you mark an omega unwillingly, or without the right paperwork, you can be charged with rape and holding a person against their will, and that's five to ten years in prison there.”

Both Yuri and Nikolai nodded, and Otabek glanced up, his eyes falling on Yuri for a moment before he returned to his stack of papers, and pulled out the last one.

“The last one I found that I think might work is Iceland,” Otabek said, and turned to some quaint photographs of a fishing village. Next to him, Yuri saw his grandfather perk up at once when he laid his eyes on the images.

“My family technically owns this entire village, but I haven't done anything with it until recently,” Otabek explained, his face adopting a nervous expression as he regarded Yuri and Nikolai. “It's a sanctuary just outside of Reykjavik. Established in the last few weeks.”

“Sanctuary?” Yuri asked, and cocked his head to the side curiously. “What do you mean?”

“I mean it's like a gated community,” Otabek explained with a small smile. “It's reserved for omegas—and occasionally alphas—as well as mated couples escaping persecution in their home countries. It's a compound, of a sort. Independent from the Icelandic government, and I get a not-for-profit grant for it, but I have no control over what goes on there, the local government has control of that, so my owning it would have no impact on your lives there. There is a general store, fishing ports, shops, a square, bank, hospital...everything that a town would need to thrive. This is all done in secret, of course, for safety. It's advertised as a small gated community, and only those who need to know are aware of its true purpose.

“I could set you up there with a small house on the water, with a fishing trawler, and a space at the open market. The market is open every day except Mondays. You can start your lives over in a safe space.”

“I haven't really felt all that safe in years...” Yuri muttered, and glanced up at Otabek.

_Except when I'm with you._

_Wait,_ Yuri thought suddenly with another short shake of his head, _where did_ that _come from? Aren't we doing all this to get_ away _from each other?_

“I like the idea of the Sanctuary,” Nikolai said, drawing Yuri from his tangle of thoughts. “It seems the safest option while you find your feet again, Yuratchka.”

“Yeah,” Yuri replied halfheartedly, and drew his knees up to his chest, ignoring the odd looks both his grandfather and Otabek were giving him. “It sounds good.”

“I'll have the paperwork drawn up,” Otabek said with a small smile, “I'll be able to send you two off in the next month, at minimum. If you two change your mind, just let me know. Otherwise, I'll get the paperwork to you soon.”

“And perhaps pick us up an Icelandic phrasebook,” Nikolai offered, causing both Otabek and Yuri to chuckle softly.

 

~*~

 

Yuri's first heat after his return to the manor was by and large the _weirdest_ heat he'd ever experienced.

For one, it seemed as though he and Minami had _synced-up_ , and their heats hit within an hour of each other.

For two, Minami was still afraid of being alone.

All to the effect that now Yuri had a very horny, very needy omega snuggled into his side, whimpering as they both waited for the suppressants to kick in.

“Yuri...” Minami whimpered as he gyrated into his thigh, “want...want...”

“Would you _shut the fuck up_?” Yuri growled, “knock it off, that's very distracting.”

Yuri wiggled away from the omega, but Minami zipped back to him immediately and burrowed back into his side.

“Want...alpha...” he mumbled again. Yuri gritted his teeth, and just barely managed to swallow a growl.

“He's mi—” Yuri cut himself off as he flushed a deep scarlet when he realized what he'd almost said, and tried again. “An alpha is not what you need right now, Minami. Just try and sleep and stop humping me like a damn golden retriever.”

“But alphas feel _so good,_ I _need_ it...” Minami moaned and whimpered, and ignored Yuri's order as he bucked into Yuri's thigh again.

“Trust me, that's the _last_ thing you need,” Yuri muttered. “Did you take your suppressants?”

“No.”

_Well, that explains a lot._

Grumbling, Yuri grabbed the pill bottle off the nightstand and shook out two capsules. He dragged the shivering omega up into a sitting position, and while he ignored his companion's whines of protest, he pried his mouth open, tossed the two pills in, and forced the glass of water on him. Minami glowered at him, but drank obediently.

Yuri flopped back down after making sure Minami hadn't done something stupid like hide the pills under his tongue, and then settled Minami back down while making a mental note to ask him what his issue with the suppressants were when their heats had ended. Predictably, Minami snuggled into his side again like a very persistent pet, and Yuri ground his teeth in annoyance while he tried to ignore Minami's irritating and very unattractive humping. Privately, he found himself momentarily relieved that Otabek was so enamoured with him and not Minami, for he could not fathom any time where what Minami was doing would be seen as appealing to anyone.

Very slowly, Minami's sexual needs died down, and exhausted, he curled up into Yuri's side and fell asleep. The sudden shift in mood from horny to sleepy reminded Yuri very much of a cat, and he couldn't help but smile a little as he watched him sleep. On instinct, Yuri wrapped his arms around the omega and drew him close, allowing Minami to snuggle into his chest. It felt strange, but almost weirdly _nice_ at the same time.

Yuri glanced down at his companion, and brushed a few sweat-soaked strands of hair from his closed eyes. Minami only seemed to know peace when he slept, and Yuri could only imagine how stressful heats were for him, if the physical evidence left on his skin from Seung-Gil was any indicator. The fact that he seemed to be _pining_ for the touch of an alpha so soon after his rescue deeply worried Yuri, but he had no idea how to address it, especially not during a heat when his mind was almost as clouded as Minami's seemed to be.

Yuri settled down next to Minami with a small sigh, his arms still wrapped around him protectively, and he closed his eyes.

Yuri couldn't quite fathom why, but when he thought to the future, he looked ahead with both fear and anguish, and not hope anymore. He wasn't sure if this was a product of years of torment—first from trying to escape the clutches of the Omega House, then his life on the run, and eventually his internment at the Altin Estate, or something else entirely. Was he really broken? Did the concept of freedom no longer feel like a reward, but a condemnation?

_Maybe I just don't know what happiness is anymore,_ Yuri thought as he yawned, _I don't know if I'll enjoy Iceland, and I don't know if it is a good idea, since we'll still be under Otabek's thumb, technically, at least. But it seems to be safe there, and even though it's not_ true _freedom, it's an illusion I can live with...for now._

With his head propped against Minami's forehead protectively, he finally fell asleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I just want to note that I am aware that in the canon Minami is actually 2 years older than Yuri, but I fucked with the ages because of how I characterized Minami, it worked better (in my head at least) to have him younger. Just stating this for those of you who adhere to the canon more rigidly, even in the wonderful world of fanfic ;P


	17. Distortion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next update will be November 21st. Enjoy :)
> 
> **Trigger Warning:** This chapter contains reference to nonconsensual drug use. Now tagged for future readers.

Chapter Sixteen – Distortion

 

When Yuri and Minami's respective heats came to a close, preparations immediately began for Yuri and Nikolai's departure to Iceland.

In truth, Yuri did not have much to do in the way of preparing for their impending trip, but Otabek seemed to be doing his best to make sure Yuri knew everything that was going on, and encouraged him to make as many decisions on his own regarding his future in another country as possible. This task was slightly daunting, given that Yuri had spent so much time being _told_ what to do, where to go, and what to wear. Now, it was entirely up to him, and he felt wholly out of practice in the art of decision-making, and the one time he _tried_ to make a decision regarding when to leave, it was quickly (albeit gently) shot down by both his grandfather and Otabek.

 

_“I know you want to be here for Yuuri when he has his children, Yuri, but I'm not so sure that that is such a good idea,” Otabek has said gently, his hand suddenly twitching as though he wanted to reach out and touch Yuri, but he curbed the impulse. “Yuuri is still only in his second trimester, and they don't plan to induce labour until the last possible minute, which could be as early as another three months from now—I'm not sure it's wise to wait that long, I'm sorry.”_

_“He's right, Yuratchka,” his grandfather added as he patted Yuri's knee consolingly. “It is better we go sooner, instead of later.”_

 

The rejection had made Yuri more than a little gun-shy about offering up his opinions regarding their trip, despite Otabek and his grandfather's frequent encouragements to add in his thoughts. Unfortunately, this tended to have the opposite effect of making him feel like he was in control of his own life, and instead, leant him towards the tendency to panic.

Thankfully, both Nikolai and Otabek had become rather good at sensing when Yuri began to feel overwhelmed, and the preparations would be paused until Yuri felt ready to face them again.

“You must think I'm so pathetic,” Yuri mumbled after the third time that this had happened, drawing a blanket around himself like a cocoon, and accepted the warm mug of spiced hot chocolate that his grandfather pressed on him. Part of him felt strangely infantilized by the drink he was offered, and almost pushed it away, but he knew that his grandfather meant well, and so with a stiff nod, he accepted it.

“Pathetic is not a word I would ever use to describe you, Yuratchka,” Nikolai responded as he sat back down. “You have endured so much in such a short time—you have known fear, desperation, starvation, and so many other things. You are still by and large _whole_. It takes great strength to endure so much, and still know yourself. You are many things, Yura, but you could never be _pathetic_.”

Yuri did not answer, but sipped the too-sweet drink, and allowed his mind to wander. Outside, a great blizzard was making the windows rattle ominously, cutting them off from the outside world quite effectively. Yuri felt as though it was a great reflection of how he felt inside—raging, confused, and scared.

Every day that passed drew Yuri closer to leaving—leaving this house, leaving this country, leaving this _life._

He could go somewhere better; safer.

And yet, for no reason whatsoever, that thought filled him with a terrible anguish that he could not understand, no matter how hard he tried.

This anguish scared Yuri terribly.

It was not trained upon his friends, or his land. He did not think he would miss Russia at all, and he knew that after the citizenship went through, he would be able to stay in contact with Yuuri (and likely Minami too, regardless how much he complained about him).

It was instead focused, unfaltering, unwavering—upon Otabek.

Yuri did not know if his mind was still his own. How much of what he was feeling was misplaced gratitude, and not real feeling? How much of it was from Otabek's varied attempts to break him down, and how much of it was _really_ him?

Yuri did not know, and he wanted to not care. Otabek was, in some ways, more broken than he was. He had grown up being taught that it was _okay_ to lie, cheat, steal, and kill to get what he wanted. He mixed up being _noble_ with being a manipulative shithead. There was so much _wrong_ with Otabek, it was mind-boggling.

_So why do I suddenly care so much about the fact that I'll never see him again?_ Yuri wondered, his face hidden behind his mug, while his grandfather pressed a _krendiel_ into his hand, insisting that he needed to eat.

Yuri bit into the cloyingly sweet brioche, silently remarking that it would taste better with coffee, rather than hot chocolate, but he offered up no verbal complaints as he continued to brood.

What was the right course of action?

If he left, would he end up regretting it?

_I think I'd probably regret it more if I stayed..._ Yuri thought as he crammed the rest of the pastry into his mouth. _I can barely breathe in public, metaphorically speaking, without Otabek nearby to make sure I don't get carted off. It's not safe here for any of us._

Yuri cast his gaze towards the door of their room in time to see Minami wander in, still in his pyjamas, and a woven red blanket draped over his shoulders like a cape. In his hands he was carrying some sort of pastry or baked good. It was rounded with a diamond-shaped pattern on it, and the sparkling, cooked sugar made it look like shortbread, though it was roughly the same size as a dinner roll.

“What have you there, _soynok_?” Nikolai asked kindly, and Minami smiled bashfully at the older man.

“ _Melonpan_ ,” Minami answered, “I asked Otabek if his cooks knew how to make it...it was one of my favourite things back home. It's white bread surrounded with cookie dough, it's really good.”

“Where's home?” Yuri asked as Minami sat down next to him, but thankfully kept his distance for once, while he belatedly realized that he had no idea where home _was_ for the young man. He looked Asian, but beyond that, he was entirely at sea.

“Kyūshu, then Osaka, then Moscow,” Minami explained before he bit into his _melonpan_. “My otosan travelled for work, and he was in Moscow when I turned sixteen, and so he was forced to let me go to a House.”

“Are the Japanese laws any more progressive than here?” Nikolai asked, “I am afraid I know little of how other countries treat their omegas.”

“It's...” Minami paused, and grimaced. “I don't know if it's better,” he said, “it's different. Omegas are expected to go to school, go to university, achieve a respectable level of education, then find a mate and settle down. It's not _illegal_ for an omega to work and to have a family, but they are expected to stay home, keep house, and raise the children.

“Almost all our actions are separated to protect omegas from _unsavoury elements_ , as they called it,” Minami continued, speaking to his knees. “We are...um, babied, I think. We are shielded from a lot of things, if two siblings present as alpha and omega, they are separated, we cannot associate with alphas at all while in school or in the workplace...and out in public many omegas are nervous, and will not go out without an escort.”

Silence followed Minami's explanation, and he shifted a little closer to Yuri. Yuri let him, while he tried to find something to say that didn't sound horribly insensitive.

“It sounds very protective of its citizens,” Nikolai said, filling the silence with a note of approval in his voice. “Perhaps it is not the most ideal way to go about it, but it is certainly better than here, with such a corrupt system in place.”

“ _The road to hell is paved with good intentions,”_ Yuri said with a small frown. “Any well-meaning system can become corrupt, given enough time.”

“And many places still view omegas as tiny weaklings in constant need of protection,” Minami added, his voice more sour than Yuri had ever heard it. He bit into his _melonpan_ again, scattering crumbs across the sofa's upholstery. “I just want to be treated like a normal person, not someone who needs protecting, or a thing to own...just a _person_.”

Minami's voice cracked a little, but the look of anger did not fade from his face.

_He's getting stronger_ , Yuri thought approvingly. _He might not know it yet, but he's much stronger now than he ever was back at the House._

A soft tapping on the door drew them from their dark talk, and Yuri looked up to see Otabek standing there, a sheaf of papers in his hands.

Yuri ignored the way his heart seemed to swell at the sight of him.

“I'm sorry to interrupt, but, Mr Plisetsky, Yuri, may I speak to you both for a moment?” Otabek asked awkwardly, a note of nervousness in his voice. “I have some news about your impending... _trip_.”

Without being asked, Minami got up and left them to it. Yuri narrowed his eyes slightly at the way Minami brushed past Otabek, almost close enough to touch, and Yuri beat down the resulting swell of jealousy that threatened to overcome him. Now was most definitely not the time for _that_.

“I have your tickets for your trip to Iceland,” Otabek continued after he'd closed the door behind Minami. He stepped over to the settee Yuri was curled up on, and sat at the opposite end. Even with nearly two feet of space between them, Yuri could almost swear that he could feel the alpha's body heat. He was distracted from his muddled, confused thoughts however when he saw Otabek spread six tickets on the coffee table, not two. Yuri stared.

“Um, six?” Yuri asked, “are we travelling with an entourage or something?”

“It's just insurance,” Otabek explained smoothly, “I have checked the time for your upcoming heat, and these are all tickets dated for around the end time of that, with a day or two to give you time to recover. Since heats can sometimes be unpredictable, I did not want you travelling during one, it seemed too big a risk for someone to discover you. Once we know which flight will be safest for you to take, I'll just cancel the others, no harm done.”

_Must be nice to be so filthy rich that you can buy six plane tickets to another country like it's nothing..._

The thought significantly soured Yuri's mood, but he did not comment on it, choosing instead to sip his drink quietly.

“That sounds reasonable,” Nikolai said, filling the silence. “I thank you, Mr Altin, for all you have done for my grandson.”

Yuri pursed his lips, and Otabek's expression seemed to mirror his.

“Of late, at least,” Otabek said at last with a sad sort of smile upon his face, almost as though he'd read Yuri's mind. “I have a lot to make up for, Mr Plisetsky. Most of all how I treated your grandson, as I am sure you know.”

“You are trying to make change for yourself in a world where you are God,” Nikolai said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Everything is handed to you on a golden platter, and your word is law. Wishing to be less than that is very admirable, I think.”

Otabek smiled weakly at Nikolai's words, but did not answer as he gathered the tickets up, muttered something about arranging a false passport, and hurried from the room.

“Why did you say all of that?” Yuri asked, but directed the question to his knees, his voice little more than a despondent mumble.

“Because it is true,” Nikolai replied smoothly before he lifted his cup of tea to his lips. “Do you not think it is commendable that he is trying so hard to change his ways? It is you, after all, who makes him _want_ to change.”

“I didn't do anything,” Yuri mumbled as he set aside his unfinished hot chocolate and drew his legs to his chest. He perched his chin on his knees and tangled his fingers together when they began to tremble. “I just...fought.”

The words slipped from his lips, and his voice cracked. Yuri felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment and shame. He did not dare look up, certain that the reason for his breaking voice would be written all over his face. _Why_ did the idea of leaving Otabek hurt so much?

“Yuratchka?” Nikolai prompted, and leant forward in his seat a little. Yuri's legs tumbled to the ground as he released them and brought his hands to his face to hide his tears.

“G-Grandpa I don't know what's real anymore,” Yuri choked out as he hastily mopped at his eyes, fighting the losing battle of not letting his grandfather see his tears. “Am I real? Is _this_ real? What I feel...” another choking sob escaped him, and suddenly, strong arms were embracing him as all the scents he associated with his grandfather overwhelmed him.

“Oh, Yuri, why didn't you say something?” Nikolai asked while he held him and let him cry. “Don't suffer in silence, my grandson, come now, tell me what is scaring you so. Let me help you.”

“Yuri?” a small voice asked, one which Yuri recognized as Minami. Yuri did not look up, but based on where the sound was coming from, he imagined that Minami was peeking in the door. “Plisetsky-san, is Yuri okay?”

“Come in, _soynok,_ ” Nikolai said gently, “and close the door. Yuri has tried to be strong for too long, and now he needs someone else to be his strength. Will you help me do that?”

“Stop...stop talking like I'm not even here,” Yuri mumbled as he sat up, still sniffling a little. He spotted Minami sitting next to him, perched on his knees, and watching Yuri with wide eyes of concern. “I'm okay, I just...had a moment.”

“You are _not_ okay, Yuratchka,” his grandfather said in a stern tone he rarely used. “Now, explain yourself. What has you so upset and scared?”

Yuri didn't want to talk. He did _not_ want to admit what he was feeling, and especially not in front of Minami. However, both he and his grandfather had certain _gatekeeper_ looks upon their faces, giving Yuri the impression that they were planning to wheedle the truth out of him one way or another.

“I...” Yuri's voice quaked and failed. He took a breath, and tried again. “My...my feelings for Otabek,” he explained, and directed the shameful words to his knees. “They're...they're... _changing_. I can't—I mean, I _can't_ care about him. That means he's won, doesn't it? It means he's forced me to love him, like he tried to all along. I don't even know if it's _real_ love, or just gratitude in disguise. I don't know what's real and what's not anymore and I can't—” another sob interrupted his words. “I need to be away from this house, this country, but when I think of leaving _him..._ it feels like everything that makes me a person is ready to shatter. He's always there to save me, from pigheaded alphas, and from suffering during my heats, from wild animal attacks...what will happen when he's gone? Can I even take care of myself? I don't even know _how_. When I was alone, before I got sent back to a House, I was terrible at taking care of myself. I can't do it...I _can't._ ”

“Yuratchka, take a breath,” Nikolai said gently, “just calm down, and let us think about this rationally.” He poured Yuri a cup of tea, and pressed the drink into his hands. Yuri accepted the drink, but did not drink it. He clutched to the mug as it warmed, and hiccoughed as tears continued to streak his cheeks. Never in his life had he felt so irreparably _broken,_ and he hated it.

“I don't what real love is,” Yuri rasped, looking past the other omega and his grandfather to the window again. Outside, the wind continued to howl. “How can I tell if this is real, or my brain just...coping, breaking after everything that's happened?”

“Part of it likely is, Yuratchka,” Nikolai said gently, “you cannot endure what you have without your mind weakening a little, even one as strong as yours. I am not an expert, but what you must do now is divide the truth from the illusions. Find out yourself how much of this feeling is genuine, and what is dependency upon Mr Altin as a...protector. And remember—this time when you leave, you will not be alone, and you will be in a _safe place._ You can live and be yourself without concern that an alpha will harm you, you can live with a roof over your head and food in your belly. You will want for nothing.”

Nikolai paused, and brought a hand to his chin thoughtfully. Yuri set aside the mug, and wiped roughly at his eyes. Minami shuffled over to him and cuddled into his side like a cat who wanted to cheer him up, and Yuri instinctively wrapped his arms around the younger omega.

“That is not the concern at the moment, however,” Nikolai continued. “When you think of Mr Altin, what immediately comes to mind?

“It's confusing,” Yuri said, his voice still incredibly hoarse as he continued to speak to his knees, and moved a hand up to stroke Minami's hair. Minami let out a small sigh, and wrapped his arms around Yuri in a gentle, reassuring embrace. “I trust him to protect me, but he scared me a lot when I first got here. He said... _things_. Like he was doing this great act of humanitarianism by not fu—uh, by not marking me and taking me to bed straightaway. He always _said_ that he could. How can I care for someone who did those things to me? I'm supposed to hate him, not... _this_.”

“Does he still scare you, Yuri?” Nikolai asked gently, and Yuri shrugged vaguely. “That is not a proper answer, you know better than that,” he admonished with a small frown, and Yuri bowed his head a little. “Answer the question, Yuri— _are you still frightened of him_?”

“I don't know,” Yuri mumbled, “I mean, he did _so many_ bad things, but lately he's done so many _good_ things, and...it's so confusing, because so much of what he's done is unforgivable, and I shouldn't be able to forgive him for it, but...part of me wants to.”

“Yuratchka, I think...” Nikolai paused, and bushed a thoughtful hand across his jaw. “I think perhaps you need to get out of here, and truly think about what you want. I am certain that not all will be lost if you leave. If you reach out to Mr Altin after we get settled, I do not doubt that he would be willing to meet with you and talk things over. Mr Altin is not the same person he was when he took you from the House. You have taught him a great deal about what is and is not an appropriate way to treat someone, and from what you have told me, he _has_ changed.”

A sudden muffled shouting dissolved their conversation. Yuri, Minami, and Nikolai glanced toward the door, but Otabek and whoever he was arguing with were too far away to discern what they were saying.

A distant door slammed, and everything fell silent.

“Changed, eh?” Yuri asked, and Nikolai chortled.

“Perhaps he has a way's to go yet, Yuratchka,” Nikolai said consolingly. He drained the last of his tea and stood up with a small groan. “I think I will go for a little rest. Yuri, do not agonize over your feelings towards Mr Altin. Just know that he _has_ changed, and for the better.”

Yuri didn't really believe that that was the wisest course of action, but nodded anyway, his eyes downcast. Nikolai crossed the room, stopping long enough to pat Yuri on the shoulder, then made for the door without a word.

Yuri let out a small sigh, and eased back on the sofa. Minami went with him, and Yuri found himself caught between annoyed and amused by Minami's cuddly habits. He was quickly regarding him very much like a little brother, and he felt a deep pull to protect him.

But if the little brat made _one_ move towards his Otabek, heads would roll.

Yuri shook his head in an effort to dispel the thought, but it didn't help very much.

“I'm going to miss you when you go,” Minami murmured softly, “spending a heat with someone who doesn't want to ravage me was...nice.”

A thought suddenly occurred to Yuri, and he looked down at the other omega. Minami's eyes widened a little and he tensed.

“Speaking of heats...” Yuri began, and ignored the way Minami's breath hitched. “...why were you so reluctant to take the suppressants? They _help_.”

Minami shook his head, and Yuri pursed his lips. No way was he letting the omega get out of it that easily.

“Come on, Minami,” Yuri said, “I just blubbered like an idiot in front of you. It's _share time_.”

Minami giggled, the sound almost hysterical, likely from Yuri speaking such a ridiculous phrase.

“It's stupid, you'll think I'm being stupid, and then I'll be embarrassed.”

“Whatever it is, I doubt it's stupid,” Yuri said consolingly, and squeezed him again. “C'mon, spit it out.”

“When...when Seung-Gil first took me home, he acted not nice, but not scary either,” Minami explained softly. “When my first heat came, he gave me these pills, and he said that they were suppressants. They looked different than the ones that the House would give us, but he was my alpha, and I trusted him.”

Yuri swallowed thickly; he had a feeling that he knew where this story was headed.

“I took the pills, but they weren't suppressants,” Minami said, his voice cracking. “I don't know what they were, but they made me feel... _amazing_ , like I could do _anything_. Everything was beautiful...especially... _him_. And when he would take me, and hurt me, I would cry and beg him to do it again. Everything was wonderful.” Minami's voice caught, and tears brimmed his eyes. “And then I'd wake up after my heat, and I'd remember everything, and I felt... _sick_. I hurt all over, and Seung-Gil would say the most _horrible_ things...he'd talk about me like I was a whore he was paying for for a few nights. Sometimes he'd lock me in the bedroom and not let me have clothes, and he'd stop in to touch me, or have sex with me, like a _quickie_ , and then leave again. Every heat after that was the same. He'd force drugs on me, and it'd feel _wonderful_ , until afterwards when he'd spend all this time calling me horrible things again.”

The gravity of what Minami was telling him sunk in slowly, and he felt sick with horror. Him forcing the suppressants on him must have been nothing short of terrifying for the younger omega.

“Fuck, Minami, I'm sorry,” he said softly, and gave him a soft squeeze. “If I'd known, I wouldn't've forced those pills into you...”

“You were right to,” Minami replied in a similar tone, “I was being stupid, I should know better than to think you or Otabek would do that to me.”

“It's not stupid,” Yuri replied at once, “if you'd told me, we could have figured something out, but I get why you didn't.”

Minami's eyes were a little glassy, and he offered Yuri a watery smile.

“Yuri?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I visit you in Iceland?”

Yuri opened his mouth to protest the sudden subject change. He felt that they _needed_ to talk about this, but something in Minami's expression stopped him short. He looked frightened, ashamed, and strangely hopeful. Yuri realized belatedly that this was likely _very_ difficult for him to talk about, and likely, the subject change was Minami's way of telling Yuri that he could not discuss it any further.

“Of course you can,” Yuri replied, and offered Minami a hug, “I'll need someone to annoy the shit out of me once in a while, and no one is more annoying than you.”

Minami giggled, apparently aware that Yuri was mostly teasing, and he cuddled closer.

Outside, the snow and wind continued its assault on the house, but inside, it had never been warmer.


	18. Head and Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next update will be November 28th. Enjoy!

Chapter Seventeen – Head and Heart

 

As the days turned into weeks and their departure date began to loom closer, Yuri was subject to something extremely strange—something that he hadn't expected to happen, and especially not yet.

He _missed_ Otabek.

They hadn't yet left, but Yuri saw the alpha so rarely that is was like he didn't live there at all, and merely visited from time to time.

That wasn't to say that Yuri felt _lonely—_ he was constantly spending time with his grandfather, Minami, Yuuri, or some combination of the three, but he found himself pining for the alpha more often than not.

Yuri had no idea what it meant, but he was in no mood to have another _talk_ with Minami and his grandfather, and as a result, kept these confusing, concerning feelings to himself. Thankfully, news from Yuuri's end of things turned out to be a perfect distraction from his internal torrent of confusing, contradictory thoughts.

 

“I have some news,” Yuuri said in an almost conspiratorial tone of voice the next time he visited, his face almost glowing with excitement. “Viktor's invited one of my friends to come visit us, someone I knew before I was taken to a House.”

Yuri blinked.

“And...?” he asked. By Yuuri's tone, Yuri had expected something a bit more juicy than _my friend is coming over to play._

“No, Yuri, you don't understand...he was my best friend before I was taken, but he presented as an alpha, _not_ as omega or beta.”

“And he's not paranoid about it?” Yuri asked with an arched brow, “alphas aren't exactly known for being the most well-rounded people.”

“He is,” Yuuri confirmed with a short nod, “but he's doing it anyway, because he knows how much it would mean to me. He's planning to ask Otabek if he can meet us here before you leave, he figures there's safety in numbers. But Phichit-kun isn't like that at all. I think he'll work it out after he meets him properly.”

“It sounds like...he's really trying to make you happy,” Yuri said awkwardly, and Yuuri responded with a smile as he bowed his head a little.

“He and I had a good long talk about everything,” Yuuri said, “he paid a private instructor to teach me to drive, and bought me a car, and a condo on the other side of the city, so I have a place to go if I feel like I need to breathe. He said...” Yuuri cut himself off as he turned pink. “He said that he knows that some things we can't change now, but he wants me to have my freedom going forward, as much as he can give me, and...he said he wants me to feel like a person, not a life support system for a womb, because no matter what he said before, he really doesn't see me like that, and he wants to make sure that I know that.”

“And do you?”

“Do I what?”

“Feel like a person,” Yuri clarified. “Do you feel like more than his...toy?”

“I do,” Yuuri nodded, and his cheeks tinted pink as he dropped his gaze to the curve of his stomach. “I don't really know how much of it is real, and not my mind just...” he frowned as he trailed off, and shook his head. “Viktor wanted me to see a therapist about everything; and we found one through the OLF. He's been really helpful in getting me to move towards a healthy head space.”

“That's...wow,” Yuri replied, and Yuuri smiled bashfully again. “That's good of him, though I can't help but wonder how salvageable a relationship can be after...” Yuri trailed off as he nodded towards Yuuri's pregnant stomach, and Yuuri responded with a nod of his own.

“It's complicated,” Yuuri agreed. “I want to make it work, and I'm grateful to Viktor for doing all this, and taking a step back to let me breathe. We both know we can't really go back and explain away everything that's happened, and Viktor has owned up to a lot of it, and I think he's apologized to me at least three hundred times—minimum.” Both omegas chuckled, and Yuuri offered up a helpless shrug. “He's trying to fix himself, and he's trying to help me, I can't help but respect him for that. He sort of forced me to admit my denial over his treatment of me, which was...” his voice quivered, and he cleared his throat once before he continued. “It was really hard. I just want things to work out between us so badly. I don't want to raise my kids in a broken home with parents stuck in a loveless marriage.”

“Staying together for the kids isn't always the healthiest thing,” Yuri pointed out, and Yuuri nodded in agreement.

“I know,” he replied, his tone softening a little. “It's more than just that though. I care about him, and he cares about me. We're trying to find an even ground to stand on, but it's tricky. Viktor is trying to _un_ learn everything he's always been taught, and I'm trying to separate my mixed-up gratitude from real feeling. I don't expect you to understand it, but please...”

“No, Yuuri,” Yuri interrupted with a small laugh. “ _Believe me_ , I get it.”

Yuuri cracked a small smile, and reached for the blond's hand, offering it a gentle squeeze.

 

In an effort to lighten the mood, Yuri selected a barfingly romantic film for himself and Yuuri to watch. It still wasn't Yuri's thing, but it seemed like the older omega needed an excuse for a good cry, and Yuuri _was_ his guest, after all.

Halfway through _A Walk to Remember_ Yuri got up on the pretense of going to the bathroom, but in reality desperately needed a breather before he began to dry-heave from the ridiculous plot. Yuuri was so enraptured with the film that he only offered Yuri a vague sort of nod to indicate that he heard him, his eyes still trained on the TV screen.

Yuri got up, headed out of the room and down the hall, his head in the clouds, not necessarily thinking in the strictest sense, but just allowing his mind to wander in a blessed haze. It felt nice.

At least, it was nice until he careened directly into someone and fell back on his ass with a surprised grunt.

“Fuck, Yuri, I'm sorry, I didn't see you.”

Otabek.

Yuri glanced up, and saw Otabek hovering over him with a remorseful look on his face. He reached his hand out to Yuri, and after a brief moment's hesitation Yuri accepted it, and the alpha pulled him to his feet.

“Thanks,” Yuri replied as Otabek let him go, and he absently brushed himself off. “I wasn't watching where I was going, s'not your fault.” Yuri spoke to Otabek's elbow, and quite suddenly the hallway felt almost _too_ warm.

_Fuck, why the hell am I blushing?_

“I'm still sorry,” Otabek replied awkwardly, and Yuri's gaze snapped up to his eyes. He stared at Yuri with the same intensity he always did, but now there seemed to be more emotion in the look—remorse, longing, and something else that Yuri couldn't quite identify.

_Why is my heart beating so fast?_ Yuri wondered in a panic, his breath hitching as he stared at the alpha, _it feels like it might burst right out of my chest..._

“I'll miss you, you know,” Otabek said suddenly, his voice drawing Yuri from his thoughts, and he stared at the alpha with confusion, certain that he'd misheard him.

“Excuse me?” Yuri asked as he blinked up at him. He was finding it a little difficult to follow the conversation; Otabek was just so _distracting_ , and Yuri knew that this time, it wasn't an impending heat causing the disorientation, but Otabek himself.

“When you go,” Otabek explained. He reached for Yuri, and froze suddenly, his palm a hairsbreadth from the omega's cheek. “May I?”

Uncertain that his voice was up to working properly, he nodded meekly. Otabek smiled warmly, and allowed his palm to land gently upon Yuri's cheek. He stroked the skin he found there with light, tender touches, and trailed his fingers along the edge of Yuri's jaw, making the omega shiver.

“I thought...you said you'd given up on me,” Yuri said uncertainly, and bit his lip nervously. _Was this right? Was this wrong? Good? Bad? I have no idea what's even happening right now, I just know that I don't want it to stop._

“That was a bald-faced lie,” Otabek replied smoothly, and Yuri cracked a small smile. “I don't say this as some sort of guilting tactic or anything, by the way. I just needed to say it at least once. I understand now that I can't _keep_ you; you're not a prize to be won, and you need to be free to make your own choices.”

“Maybe I should get mauled by tigers more often,” Yuri teased as Otabek's hand moved from his cheek to rest against the side of his throat. When it felt as though he was going to pull back, Yuri reached up to rest his hand over Otabek's, stopping him. The alpha chuckled softly, and he smiled a little at Yuri.

“It forced me to face up to how badly I was treating you,” Otabek said in the same soft tone, “if nothing else, it definitely helped me see things clearly.”

“Otabek, I...” Yuri trailed off and bit his lip. Otabek arched a brow, but otherwise remained silent as he waited for Yuri to speak.

“I'm sorry,” he said at last. “For giving you such a hard time about the Seung-Gil thing, I mean. Thinking back, I guess it was probably the only way, but...the fact that you did it without even batting an eyelash scared me. You just...things with you are always so...so... _confusing._ I don't know what's right and what's wrong anymore. Or—or if what I feel is really me, or if you really _did_ break me...”

“And what do you feel, Yuri?” Otabek asked softly; the low purr of his voice made Yuri shiver, and the sound seemed to rush like an electric jolt straight to his groin.

Panic and longing flooded Yuri's mind, and without really thinking about what he was doing, he reached forward, threaded his fingers through the front of Otabek's shirt, and dragged him into a hard kiss.

Otabek fell into it immediately. His entire body, taut with nerves, seemed to sag as his hands dropped to Yuri's waist, and he pulled him close. Yuri staggered back into the wall, dragging the alpha with him, and Otabek grunted, following the omega's movements clumsily as he more or less pinned Yuri there, and devoured the omega's mouth with hungry kisses.

“Yuri...” Otabek breathed his name like a prayer, and pulled back reluctantly. Yuri whimpered at the loss of contact, and when he reached for Otabek again he closed a hand over the omega's wrist, stopping him from completing the act. “Slow down, please.”

“Why?” Yuri asked, panting a little as he tried to regain his equilibrium. “Was that...wrong?”

“Not really wrong,” Otabek said as he chuckled, and touched Yuri's cheek again. “But not right, either. You've been through a lot, and I feel like I'd be taking advantage of you if I let you do...whatever it is you're planning on doing with me. I think you need more time to decide what you really want. You need to be away from this place, clear your head. You might change your mind once you're not as isolated out here, and I don't want to do something that might fuck up your headspace more before you leave.”

“But I don't _want_ to leave!” Yuri blurted out before he could think better of it, and as soon as he vocalized the words, he wanted to take them back. The confusion was making him dizzy, and he wobbled, his hands moving to rake through his hair. “I mean, I don't think I want to leave, but then I do, and—augh, I'm so _confused_...” 

“Which is why I think it's better if you leave, even if it's only for a little while,” Otabek replied softly, and reached out to stroke Yuri's cheek again. “The fact that you kissed me just now, it makes me just... _so_ happy, Yuri, you have no idea. But I worry that part of this is a product of all the shit I did. I...I don't know what's right and what's wrong anymore. But I don't want you to tie yourself to me in any way until you've breathed the free air...at least for a little while...clear your head, so that you can decide what you _really_ want.”

“But what if I'm halfway around the world and I want to see you?” Yuri asked uncertainly. He stepped forward, almost unconsciously, and once again Otabek's hands fell to his waist, drawing him a little closer. “I can't rightfully leave my grandfather in Iceland and come running back here, it wouldn't be right.”

“Just breathe, Yuri,” Otabek said in a soft and consoling tone, “you're getting ahead of yourself. Let's look at this one thing at a time. I'm not exactly strapped for cash so if you choose to come back, by all means your grandfather can come too. He wants what's best for you. I think if you said you wanted to go to a colony on the moon he'd happily go with you.”

“That's not the point,” Yuri mumbled as he pressed his cheek to Otabek's chest. In an instant, he felt a wave of calm wash over him. He didn't know if such a feeling was _right_ or _wrong,_ but for the moment he didn't care. He just wanted to be comforted, and he didn't care that it came at the hands of Otabek. He could deal with the confusing repercussions later. “He's older. He's not up for a crazy back and forth between here and Iceland. Maybe I should've picked something closer, I didn't think...” he trailed off, and felt his face get hot again.

“Didn't think what, Yuri?” Otabek asked softly as he ran his hand up and down the omega's spine. Yuri shivered a little at the touch, but for the first time, not from disgust.

“That I'd feel this way...that I'd actually miss you,” Yuri mumbled, his face still red as he stared down at his shoes. Without really thinking through the action, Yuri wrapped his arms around Otabek's middle, holding onto him tightly, and let out a small sigh of contentment as the alpha tightened his hold on him in turn.

Yuri felt warm, and safe.

The confusing implications behind that feeling made his head spin. Yuri clenched his eyes shut, and tried to not think about it.

 

~*~

 

When Yuri shuffled back into the room with Yuuri sometime later, the omega offered him a curious sideways glance—no doubt he could smell the scent of _alpha_ that clung to his skin like a heavy perfume—but thankfully, he didn't comment on it.

Minami had apparently joined Yuuri while Yuri had been gone, and was curled up with Yuuri like an attention-seeking kitten. The moment Yuri sat down to join them however, Minami switched sides of the sofa, and curled up with the blond.

Yuri wrinkled his nose, uncertain what about him made Minami so snuggly, but he wasn't stupid enough to remark on it as he settled in to watch the movie—which had apparently been switched to _Roman Holiday._ It was still fairly vomit-worthy, but it was a classic, which Yuri could respect, if not enjoy—not that he would admit it.

“I'm happy for you,” Minami whispered suddenly, and Yuri turned to his fellow omega, his brow furrowed with confusion.

“Happy for me?” he asked, and Minami smiled knowingly.

“For you and Otabek,” he explained in the same soft tone, and Yuri immediately shook his head.

“There's no _me and Otabek_ ,” Yuri whispered back, “he still wants me to leave. I have no idea what that means, or what's even right anymore...” he heaved a small sigh, and grimaced when Minami tried to snuggle even closer.

“My therapist thinks it's good,” Yuuri interjected suddenly, and Audrey Hepburn froze on-screen as the eldest omega hit the pause button.

“How does your therapist know about me?” Yuri demanded, and he felt himself go cold. He supposed his fear must have shown on his face, and Yuuri quickly elaborated.

“My therapist came through the OLF,” Yuuri reminded him, “he thinks it's a very good idea that you two separate, even if it's only temporary. It will help you get back to yourself before you decide whether to start a real relationship with him or not. He won't report you, even if he _did_ know your name.”

Yuri frowned at Yuuri, but didn't answer. Sensing that the conversation was over, Yuuri unpaused the film, and they all returned to watching it in relative silence. Minami stayed curled into his side, his expression deeply troubled. It did not take much of a stretch to guess that Minami was thinking about the impending visit from the mysterious alpha friend, this _Phichit_ that Yuuri claimed to be friends with. After all he'd endured with Seung-Gil, it was not at all shocking that Minami would be so nervous around unknown alphas.

Yuri meanwhile found his mind irrevocably stuck on his kiss with Otabek.

_Why did I do that?_ Yuri wondered with a slight grimace. _I was so stupid. I let my feelings cloud my judgment, and look what happened. Otabek must think I'm an idiot._

Heaving a soft, despondent sigh, Yuri hugged Minami a little closer and tried to banish the confusing thoughts from his mind, with little success.

 

~*~

 

A few days later, Yuri found himself in the strangest situation.

He and Minami were sitting side-by-side in the parlour, dressed in nice-but-casual clothing of pairs of designer jeans, and Yuri was in a fitted sweater, while Minami was dressed in a turtleneck that was a size too big for him. Otabek was near to the window that faced the front of the house, and he was pacing restlessly. Nikolai sat nearby, nursing a cup of coffee, and he watching the entire scene with a warm, amused smile upon his face.

“This alpha won't do anything bad, right, Yuri?” Minami murmured softly, and Yuri winced at the way Minami's voice quivered a little. Yuri reached for the other omega's hand, and gave it a small squeeze.

“He's friends with Yuuri,” Yuri reminded him, “from before he was taken. I can't see Yuuri being friends with someone that pigheaded. Besides, the others would definitely intervene if he does try anything.”

Minami's eyes, starry and hopeful, shifted to Otabek. Yuri narrowed his eyes at him, but did not dare speak. He'd never live it down if he started ranting about how Otabek was _his_.

“They're here,” Otabek said suddenly before he moved quickly over to Yuri and Minami, and crouched before them, but he was careful to keep a respectful distance from the omegas. “Viktor and Yuuri have both sworn up and down that this alpha will behave himself and not hurt either of you— _or_ Yuuri, for that matter—but if either of you feel at any time uncomfortable, just ask me for an apple, and I will use that as a code word to get you out of the room as discreetly as I can, all right?”

“Yes, thank you, Otabek,” Minami said as he nodded, and Yuri mirrored him.

“Yeah, thanks.”

The alpha offered the pair a small smile just as the doorbell sounded from the front hall, and Otabek straightened up as he headed out to greet their guests.


	19. Chance Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The Thai word/phrase is supposed to say ‘amazing' but it may be slightly off, because I do not speak Thai (alas, only English and French XD) and had to trust a translation website. If anyone notices a mistake there, please let me know so I can fix it! :) Next update will be December 5th.

Chapter Eighteen – Chance Meeting

 

Yuri could not tell who was squeezing the other's hand more firmly—himself, or Minami. The younger omega's complexion had paled at the sound of the knock upon the door, and he shifted closer to Yuri immediately. For once, he did not feel annoyed by Minami's tendency towards cuddling—he welcomed the closeness, and felt deeply comforted by it.

Voices sounded from the hall, three familiar ones intermingled with one new one, which Yuri presumed to be this new alpha, Phichit.

“ _T_ _êe n_ _âa m_ _á-h_ _àt-s_ _à-jan jai_ , this is so nice, Mr Otabek!” chirped the unfamiliar voice, and Yuri felt Minami tense next to him.

“Please, just Otabek,” Otabek replied politely, and the stranger began to speak in Japanese, to which they heard Yuuri respond, and Minami giggled.

“What are they saying?” Yuri whispered, and Minami smiled again, his entire form relaxing a little as Yuuri and the stranger continued to speak.

“They're poking fun at Otabek and Viktor,” Minami murmured softly, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “They say they look as relaxed as a street food vendors with no rice.”

Yuri chuckled a little, and he, too, felt himself begin to relax as the group migrated into the parlour where they still sat. Otabek and Viktor did indeed look _very_ tense, but in contrast, Yuuri looked happier than Yuri could recall ever seeing him before.

Of course, some of it could have been the fact that Yuuri was beginning to approach his due date, and at nearly twenty-five weeks, he had gained the distinctive pregnancy waddle, but he was so wrapped up in talking with his friend and holding onto Viktor that he hardly seemed to notice. They jumped back and forth between Thai and Japanese so quickly that even if Yuri _did_ speak either of those languages he doubt he would have been able to follow.

“Oh, Yuuri, you're getting so big,” the stranger said, switching to Russian, ensuring that everyone present could understand him. “It's like you swallowed a planet!”

“ _Three_ planets,” Yuuri replied with a small groan as Viktor helped him to sit down. He turned his gaze to his alpha and offered one of his hands a small squeeze in thanks. “I can't wait to meet them though. I mean, I'm nervous, but I'm starting to get excited, too.”

“You've always been good at caring for people,” the stranger said with a warm, cheery smile. “I _know_ you'll be an amazing mom.”

Yuuri's face flushed pink, and he smiled bashfully down at his lap. The alpha turned to Yuri and Minami, his warm smile never wavering as he gazed at them.

“And you two must be Yuuri's friends!” he said cheerfully, “I'm Phichit Chulanont. I'm an alpha, but I promise, I don't mean to be.”

Yuri and Minami exchanged a bewildered look as Phichit laughed, but upon seeing their expressions, he elaborated.

“In Thailand, alphas get treated like criminals a lot,” he explained. “There was such an outcry from the omegas for something to be done about them being assaulted, and the government went overboard. You even _look_ at an omega in a funny way, and they will arrest you. When I found out I was alpha, I was so upset, because that meant that me and Yuuri couldn't stay in touch. But at the same time, I understand it, I'd rather live in a place with tough laws where everyone feels safe instead of a place that hurts a third of its people, you know?”

“The laws are a bit ironic,” Yuuri added with a small smile, “considering your country's reputation in the West.”

“I don't make the rules!” Phichit cried out, “but I'm just glad I'm here now...well, sort of. It's so _cold_ here, Yuuri, I have no idea how you stand it!” he visibly shivered, and Yuuri laughed. “You should all come visit me in Bangkok, I'll show you around and get you all the best street food until you feel like you'll burst. And the best part? No snow.”

Yuuri and Phichit continued to jabber back and forth excitedly, most of the conversation consisting of Phichit telling Yuuri where he'd take him and Viktor if they came to see him. When one of the house servants brought out a tray of appetizers, Phichit seemed to remember that Yuri and Minami were there, and he smiled kindly at them. Neither omega missed how Phichit's eyes seemed to fix on Minami, and immediately the omega shifted closer to Yuri. Phichit's smile fell.

“Oh, hey, are you all right?” he asked, and looked back to Yuuri, before returning his gaze to Minami. “Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to!” he said all this very fast, and he looked genuinely distressed by Minami's uneasiness. “Your name's Minami, right? Please, tell me what I did wrong so I won't do it again. If I made you uncomfortable, I really didn't mean to.”

“I'm sorry,” Minami said shyly, now pressed so hard into Yuri's side that he half-expected them to fuse together at that point. “Um...bad experience with an alpha.”

“Oh, I'm so sorry,” Phichit said, and it sounded like he meant it too. “I can't even imagine doing bad stuff to you, you're just so adorable, if you'd let me, I'd wrap you in a blanket and keep you safe always.” Phichit stopped suddenly, and his cheeks tinged red. Yuri had a feeling he hadn't meant to say all that.

Minami's face coloured similarly to Phichit's, and seemed incapable of meeting his eye as he turned to Otabek, who was standing nearby, the Omega's eyes wide with confusion and fright.

“Um, Otabek?” Minami asked in a small voice, “can I have an apple?”

Otabek inclined his head once in understanding, and held out an arm to Minami. Yuri did his best to stomp down on his jealousy as Minami jumped up and rushed over to him as Otabek said, “come on, I'll get you one...” and led the omega from the room, a protective arm coiled around his shoulders.

“I came on too strong, didn't I?” Phichit asked sadly as he watched Minami go, and his cheery smile dimmed to a sad frown.

“Minami's had a rough time of it,” Yuuri said with a small frown of his own, “it wasn't your fault. He probably just jumped to the conclusion that you want him, and the belief that you'd be just like his former alpha...he wasn't nice.”

“In normal human language, Yuuri means that his ex-alpha was an abusive shithead,” Yuri filled in sourly. “He's really nervous around alphas he doesn't know because of that, and so if you're really interested and you _really_ care about him, you should probably back off for a while.”

“I'm sorry,” Phichit said again. “I didn't mean to scare him.”

“I better go see if he's all right,” Yuri replied with a small sigh, and pushed himself to his feet. Phichit looked even more distraught at this statement, and Yuri shook his head a little. _What a weird alpha._

Yuri padded out of the parlour, and almost immediately crashed into Otabek. His breath caught, and he felt a flush begin to creep up his cheeks.

“Sorry,” he said quickly, “I just...Minami...”

“He's all right, just a little shaken,” Otabek said, and looked as awkward as Yuri felt. It appeared to be overlaid with his usual attempt at nonchalance, though for once Otabek did not mask his feeling as well as he usually did. “He's up in his room if you want to see him.”

“Erm, thanks,” Yuri replied uneasily, and bit his lip. He felt a familiar tingle rush through him, the same one he'd felt before when he'd kissed Otabek of his own volition.

Yuri leant forward a little, and tensed when he realized what he was about to do, and rushed off before he could give in to temptation.

_I wonder what it's like to not be surrounded by weird mixed signals_ constantly... Yuri thought sourly as he walked, and by the time he'd made it up to Minami's room, he'd burnt off most of his frustration, and thus was unlikely to make Minami more uneasy with a bad mood.

The door was ajar, and Yuri peered in to see Minami sitting on the edge of the bed, his hand curled around a narrow mug of green tea. His eyes were red and puffy as though he'd been crying, but at the moment, he seemed to be relatively dry-eyed. Yuri knocked once, and the younger omega's gaze snapped up, but he relaxed when he saw who it was. He nodded once, indicating that Yuri could come in.

“I just wanted to see how you were,” Yuri explained as he stepped inside and sat down next to Minami. “Phichit said he was sorry about a hundred times after Otabek escorted you out, and it looked like he meant it.” He paused, shifting uncomfortably when Minami shuffled a little closer to him, and while doing his best to mask his own discomfort, he wrapped a lazy arm around Minami and offered him a squeeze. Immediately, the distressed omega seemed to relax. “You seem totally comfortable around Otabek, why is what Phichit said so scary to you?”

“I don't know him,” Minami explained, “he's a stranger, and I'd known him for barely ten minutes and he says... _that_...” Minami shivered. “After—af—after Seung-Gil...” Minami's voice caught, and he rubbed roughly at his eyes, but it seemed as though he was unable to continue.

Yuri gently pried the cup of tea from Minami's shaking hands before he accidentally dropped it, and set it aside. He had no idea what he could say that might make Minami feel better—he was a complete mess, with his red eyes and runny nose, and he seemed to be struggling to keep himself from crying, although not managing it very well.

“Minami,” Yuri said gently, “it's—it's okay to cry...”

“No,” Minami interjected between sniffles, “I—I have to be strong. If I cry, he's winning. I can't let him win...I want to be strong...like you.”

“ _Me?_ ” Yuri sputtered, his eyes widening a little in surprise.

“Yeah,” Minami replied with a small nod, and rubbed at his nose with his sleeve again. He shuffled close to Yuri again, linking his arms around the older omega's waist, and cuddled close with a content, catlike smile on his face. “You're so tough. You put up with everything that life throws at you, and you just keep on fighting, you never let this life we live define you, or change you. I wish I could be strong like that.”

Yuri reached up to pet his hair awkwardly, and Minami smiled. The sight of it made Yuri want to weep. How was it possible for someone who's experienced so many horrible things to _smile_?

Yuri rocked him like a child, and rubbed his back, not trusting himself to speak. He'd never seen himself as strong, not how Minami seemed to, at any rate. He'd always viewed himself as a survivor by sheer stubbornness, but never _strong._

When Minami had completely exhausted himself, Yuri had come to no conclusions to how he felt about Minami's proclamation that he wanted to be like _him_. Whatever that meant.

Carefully, he untangled himself from Minami, and tucked the omega in like he was a child. Yuri sat down on the edge of the bed, reluctant to leave him alone, and stroked the golden locks of his hair gently.

_I can't exactly blame Phichit for saying that,_ Yuri thought as he watched the omega sleep. _Something about Minami just makes you want to protect him..._

The scent of a nearby alpha suddenly permeated the air, but it did not unnerve Yuri as it usually would, for he could tell that it was Otabek, and likely he was just coming to check on Minami. With a small sigh, Yuri stood up and headed for the door where Otabek was waiting, the alpha rocking on his heels with a faint look of uncertainty and concern in his eyes.

“How is he?” Otabek asked when Yuri stepped out and shut the door softly. Otabek reached for Yuri, as though he wanted to take his hand, but froze as though he suddenly realized what he was doing, and dropped his arm.

Yuri tried to mirror Otabek's nonchalance, and hid his disappointment behind a neutral mask.

“A little freaked out,” Yuri answered belatedly after an awkward pause. “He was really upset out by what Phichit said...did you and Viktor set that up? Because if you did—”

“—we didn't,” Otabek interrupted with a frown. “Neither of us knew he would say that, and I swear I had no idea he'd come on to Minami like that. Viktor said he'd heard Yuuri mention Minami to Phichit, but not as a setup sort of thing, because he brought you up too, it was him describing his friends to Phichit, no more.”

“He's just so...so damaged,” Yuri said, and almost unconsciously shifted closer to Otabek. The alpha's arm fell to Yuri's back immediately, and Yuri marvelled at how his entire body seemed to relax at the casual touch. “I think Phichit might do more harm than good if he pushes.”

“He knows that,” Otabek murmured softly. “Now, at any rate. He feels really guilty for scaring Minami, that wasn't his intention, and he kept apologizing at least half a dozen times after you left to check on him.”

“Figures Yuuri would be friends with someone as apologetic as himself...” Yuri muttered, and Otabek chuckled softly. A hand lifted from his waist to cradle his cheek, and Yuri leant into the touch with a tiny sigh.

“Yuri?” Otabek asked in the same soft tone, and Yuri lifted his gaze to Otabek.

“Hmm?”

“What exactly are we doing?” His voice dropped to a lower, huskier sound. He was closer than before, and his face carried a now-familiar mingled expression of confusion and uncertainty.

“I—I don't know,” Yuri replied nervously as he lifted his hands to twine them through the front of Otabek's shirt. “I wish I could work out why I feel so comfortable when you hold me like this...I used to hate it.”

“I want to say, 'maybe we should postpone your trip and explore this' but I can't do that. It's not good for either of us,” Otabek said, but even as he did so, he tugged Yuri flush against his chest. Yuri shivered with delight at the feeling of the hard body pressed into his, and pressed himself up against Otabek firmly, not unlike how Minami always snuggled with him.

“Why would it be not good?” Yuri asked, “what if I never feel like this again?”

“You need time away,” Otabek replied, and with a look on his face like he was trying to lift a sixteen-ton weight with his pinkie, he pulled back from Yuri, but kept one arm at his back as he led him away to Yuri's bedroom down the hall.

Upon reaching the room, Otabek guided Yuri over to the settee and sat down. When Yuri joined him he tried to make the fact that he'd sat down rather close to Otabek as nonchalant as possible, but something in the look Otabek gave him told Yuri that he didn't buy it. Instead, he continued his train of thought as though they had never been interrupted.

“You need time to spread your wings and be _you_ , whoever that might be,” Otabek said gently, but firmly. “You've spent the last two years of your life either running—God knows how you even _fed_ yourself during that time—or subjugated by an Omega House, and then by me. It would not be fair for me to beg you to stay, and that is why I suggested you leave. There are internet and phone connections that go both ways, and we can stay in touch if you like, but I do not expect it—or deserve it. If you choose later to come back, we can explore going further with this relationship, but I do not wish to live your life for you. I only want you if you want me. Does that make sense?”

“But I _do_ want you,” Yuri said emphatically, and froze almost immediately. Otabek raised his eyebrows in clear disbelief, and Yuri felt his face grow warm with embarrassment.

“That makes a switch from barely a handful of months ago—a _big_ switch,” Otabek said as he reached out to brush a few strands of hair from Yuri's eyes. “That's why I want you to leave, even if it's temporary. I want you to be sure, and I don't want you to stay because, like Minami, you might carry some sort of misplaced gratitude for me for saving your life. I don't want to keep you—not like I used to. I want to be part of your life, Yuri, not own it.”

“I...” Yuri paused and bit his lip. “I wish I knew what to say to that,” he said, and bowed his head a little. “It's hard, and it's confusing, because even when you first took me, you were always weirdly comforting...but scary at the same time. I don't know if you meant it, the scary part, I mean, but it's just...I don't know what's right and what's wrong anymore. When Minami first started crushing on you I got so...so _jealous,_ and I...all I think about is you. I don't even know if it's right, or if it's healthy, or what. I'm just really scared that I've gone and broken myself—”

Two fingers brushed over Yuri's lips, silencing him. Yuri blinked as he looked up at Otabek, who had adopted a stern, serious look.

“You are not broken, Yuri,” he said firmly. “And if you were, it would be _my_ fault that that happened, not yours. I was the one who treated you so badly, and you were always the strong one, who fought against my attempts every step of the way. Do not blame yourself for my terrible behaviour, please.”

The vocalization of _please_ wavered, and Yuri's gaze snapped up to his eyes. Yuri's lips parted in surprise, his own eyes widening a little as he tried to absorb what he was seeing.

Otabek was on the verge of tears.

Without allowing himself to overthink the action, Yuri closed the distance between them, and kissed Otabek gently.

Otabek's hands fell immediately to Yuri's chest, resting lightly against him, and Yuri could feel the muscle flexing in indecision of whether or not Otabek wished to stop him. In the end, his longing for Yuri won, and his hands slipped further down to rest at Yuri's waist. He drew the omega closer as he kissed him back, and Yuri let out a tiny moan as he shifted closer to his alpha.

“I don't want to be imprisoned, or stripped of rights that I know I deserve,” Yuri murmured, then kissed Otabek again. “But I don't want to lose _this_ either. I just wish I knew what the right thing to do was.”

“I will wait for you, Yuri,” Otabek murmured, and kissed him again. “But you _need_ to go. You need to know who you are without me hovering over you. Like I said, I have no expectations; I do not feel as though you _owe_ me anything. If you decide that what we are sharing at this moment is some sort of misplaced gratitude for my saving your life, and you truly do not wish to pursue this, do not feel guilty—I will accept it. I refuse to do anything that might hurt you again.”

Yuri wrapped his arms around Otabek's neck and clung to him, wishing that he knew what to do. No answers came to him, and he let out a soft, despondent sigh.

He didn't know what to do.


	20. Emergency Exit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next update will be December 12th.

Chapter Nineteen – Emergency Exit

Yuri tapped gently on Minami's bedroom door, and when it opened the young omega's eyes went wide at the sight of what Yuri was holding—a modest but tasteful bouquet of pink lilies wrapped in cellophane, and held together with a rose-coloured ribbon.

“For me?” Minami squeaked as he eyed the flowers with confusion and wonder.

“They're from Phichit,” Yuri explained with a wince, and felt his stomach knot when he saw Minami go pale. “They came with a note—an apology note.”

“Oh, um, c-come in...” Minami stepped back and looked around, a lost look in his eyes, as though he had no idea what to do or how to react. Yuri could see the omega beginning to tremble, and he set aside the bouquet upon the vanity quickly before he rushed to Minami and rested his hands on the omega's shoulders.

“Breathe, Minami,” Yuri said firmly. “He's not Seung-Gil, and he has no plans to hurt you or harass you. He sent the flowers because he felt bad for scaring you. Do you want me to read the note to you?”

Minami's bottom lip quivering a little, he hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

“All right then,” Yuri said with a small, reassuring smile, “come on, let's sit down...”

Yuri led Minami over to the settee and coaxed him down onto it. He went back to the bouquet and plucked off the note before he moved back to join Minami, who was still shivering nervously, and Yuri sat at the omega's side. Yuri opened the envelope and tugged the short letter out; he'd read it before, to make sure that Phichit wouldn't say anything that might make Minami _more_ anxious, and he found it to be surprisingly sweet, which was strange, given that Phichit was an alpha.

_Dear Kenjiro Minami,_ Yuri read,

_I hope this letter and gift find you well, and I hope it doesn't upset you more. I don't want anything from you, and I think that you may have misunderstood my intentions around the stupid comment I made to you the other day. I really didn't know all the details of what happened, and Yuuri won't tell me much, which is okay, really, because it's not my business._

_I sent these flowers to you as a way to say how sorry I am for upsetting you. I won't lie, I found you attractive, but it doesn't mean I plan on doing anything about it. I would like to get to know you, but if I'm being too pushy, you can tell Yuuri to tell me to back off, and I will, I promise. I'm guessing you asking me that directly might be asking a little much, given what I know about what happened to you, so I'm okay with hearing it from Yuuri. I can't even imagine how hard this must be for you, going through what you did, and I want to help, if you'll let me. I know I can't make the pain go away, but maybe I can help make it less, if you want, that is._

_If you want nothing to do with me, that's all right too, and again, I really am sorry for upsetting you._

_Phichit Chulanont_

  
“He also included a selfie of himself with like three hamsters,” Yuri finished, and held up the picture for Minami to see. The younger omega smiled weakly, his knees drawn up to his chest, and he reached out for the photograph. Yuri let him have it, and watched as Minami looked down at it, childlike, his brow furrowed with concentration, almost like he was trying to memorize every aspect of the picture.

“Do you think I'm being selfish, freaking out like I did at him?” Minami asked softly, his eyes still fixed upon the photo.

“No,” Yuri replied as he tossed down the note on the coffee table. “I'd be more worried if you were totally accepting of his come-ons. You need time to fix yourself before you'll feel ready to be with someone again.”

“And...do you think he means it?” Minami asked in the same soft, uncertain tone of voice, “the backing off part, I mean.”

“It's hard to say with alphas,” Yuri replied, his mouth twitching into a small frown. “A lot of them think they can _take_ what they want, not just ask for it, but...he seems sincere. I'd keep your guard up, though.”

“Before he said... _that_ to me, he seemed nice,” Minami remarked, and moved to drop the photograph next to the letter, though it seemed to be a genuine struggle for Minami to let it go. His expression was conflicted, but he could see the interest glimmering just behind his eyes. Seeing it, Yuri felt a strange sense of familiarity as his mind jumped back to Otabek. Yuri shook his head minutely in an effort to stay focused on the conversation, and not dwell on his own problems when Minami obviously needed him. “Do you...um, I mean...” he flushed a deep red, and smiled faintly. “Do you think he'd wait for me? I like Otabek, and I don't mind being near him, but I don't *know Phichit, and I don't...I don't really know what he's like when he's alone. What if he's like... _him_?”

“Call me an optimist, but somehow I doubt it,” Yuri replied with a weak smile. “I can't really see Yuuri being friends with someone like that.”

A soft tapping upon the door drew the pair from their conversation, and they both looked up at the same time to see Otabek peering into the room with a small, uncertain smile upon his face.

“Sorry to interrupt,” he said, “but I brought a vase for your flowers; I wasn't sure if you wanted to keep them or not, but if you decide to, you'll need something to put them in.”

He held up a fine crystal vase as evidence, and Minami's smile seemed to brighten. Yuri watched as Minami jumped up and trotted over to Otabek, very much like an excited puppy, and muttered a quick thank-you for the vase before he turned to the bouquet and proceeded to arrange the flowers neatly, before winding the ribbon around the vase itself, then carried the whole thing to the bathroom, presumably to fill with water.

An awkward silence descended between Yuri and Otabek as Minami disappeared, and Yuri bit his lip as his gaze jumped between the ajar bathroom door and Otabek. The alpha seemed to be having a similar struggle, and was eyeing Yuri was a familiar sort of longing, though at the same time he seemed to be trying to hide it behind a neutral mask—with little success.

_I am definitely going to regret this,_ Yuri thought as he made a split-second decision, and jumped off the sofa, rushed over to Otabek, threw his arms over the alpha's shoulders, and kissed him hard.

Otabek staggered back a little, startled by the sudden show of affection, but his hands fell almost at once to Yuri's waist, holding him close as he returned the kiss.

“What was that for?” Otabek asked, his voice low and husky as they parted and he regarded Yuri through lidded eyes. The omega felt his cheeks warm with embarrassment, but that did not stop him from going in for another kiss.

“I've decided,” Yuri whispered, punctuating his words with more gentle kisses. “If you're willing to, I want you to wait for me.”

Otabek's arms tensed around Yuri's waist, and he raised his eyebrows, a mixed look of confusion and astonishment registering on his face.

“I beg your pardon?”

“I want to be free, I want it more than anything else in the world,” Yuri explained softly, but in a strong, confident tone of voice. For the first time in a long time, he _knew_ what he wanted, and he'd be damned if he let the chance to voice it slip away from him. “But I also want _you_. I think I understand now, why you want me to go first, but I want to come back to you.”

This time, it was Otabek who reacted first. A hand snaked up Yuri's back, over the nape of his neck, and buried itself in his hair. He fisted the strands, tugging on them, but not painfully so as he pulled Yuri into a fierce kiss that caused the omega to gasp softly before he returned it with equal enthusiasm.

“Yuri...” Otabek whispered against his mouth, and Yuri keened softly in response, but both men had most unfortunately forgotten completely that they were standing in the doorway of someone else's bedroom—until they were interrupted by a soft, pointed cough.

Both Yuri and Otabek turned to see the other omega smiling at them knowingly. Yuri opened and closed his mouth several times, his face flooding with colour as he tried to find the right words to explain himself, but Minami merely shook his head and waved them off.

“We've _all_ known that it was only a matter of time before you two finally worked out your differences,” Minami said cheerfully. “Go and be together, or cuddle, or something. You two deserve it.”

“But what about—” Yuri began, his eyes falling to the vase of flowers that Minami was now arranging carefully upon his vanity. Minami seemed to know what Yuri was about to say however, and cut him off with a small shake of his head.

“—I'm okay, Yuri, really. I've got a lot to think about, but you need time for you, too, not just taking care of me.” He offered the couple a small smile. “I'm not helpless. _I'm okay_.”

“We'll be nearby if you change your mind,” Otabek said, his hands dropping to Yuri's waist, and Minami smiled at them both warmly.

“Thank you.”

Yuri offered Minami one final small smile before he allowed Otabek to lead him from the room. He could feel his omega instincts positively preen at allowing Otabek take charge, even if it was momentary, which left Yuri feeling strangely conflicted.

_How much of this is real?_

_I like how I feel when I'm with him, and it kills me to leave, but is that really me thinking, or am I finally broken?_

Yuri shivered, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Otabek frown at him.

“Yuri? Are you all right?” the alpha asked as he led him into the living room and sat down. Yuri quickly followed suit, and cuddled into Otabek's side.

“Just thinking,” he mumbled as Otabek's arms coiled around him, and he shivered a little with both want and confusion.

“About what?” Otabek asked, then added hastily, “if you don't mind me asking.”

“Just...this,” Yuri replied vaguely with a small shrug. “It's still hard to figure out what parts are me, and what I really feel, and what parts are my mind giving into...well, you.”

“I wish I could say that it's completely how you feel, Yuri, but in all likelihood, a large part of it is your mind breaking down a little,” Otabek said. “And to indulge you like I have lately...I wonder if that was more damaging than any of the other things I did to you. That is why I keep saying that you need to go. Once you are away from me, I think it will be easier for you to decide with a clear head what you really want.”

Yuri frowned as he shifted closer to Otabek. Otabek's arms tightened around him protectively, but other than that, he did nothing.

“If it's so foggy about what I want,” Yuri said after a moment's pause, “why do you indulge me like this at all?”

His question was met with a warm chuckle, and Otabek pressed a gentle kiss to his temple.

“Because I am not a good man, Yuri,” Otabek whispered, his voice a low purr that made Yuri shiver. “I am a bad, bad man. I am taking advantage of you, and I know it, but I am too weak-minded to stop. I keep thinking, _what if he decides I am not good enough for him after he leaves, and stays gone?_ I wish to take advantage of the short time you let me hold you like this. Even if it isn't real for you, even if it's your mind doing what it can to survive, I want it, even if it's only for a little while.”

Yuri turned in the embrace, and kissed Otabek gently. Otabek kissed him back without hesitation as he tugged Yuri into his lap, enabling the omega to straddle him while they kissed, awkwardly and nervously mapping each other's faces with gentle touches.

“It doesn't feel like it,” Yuri remarked suddenly, and Otabek eyed him quizzically.

“What doesn't feel like what?” Otabek asked, his hand trailing up Yuri's back to toy with his hair absentmindedly.

“It doesn't feel wrong, or...or like you're taking advantage,” Yuri explained awkwardly. “It just feels...safe. Confusing, but safe.”

“Such a thing rarely does,” Otabek replied softly and he coaxed Yuri to kiss him again, which he did willingly. “I do believe part of what you are voicing is Stockholm Syndrome. Definitely not as seriously as Yuuri, but that's what worries me. More than wanting you all to myself, I don't want you to be mine because of damage I did to you. That's yet another reason on the long list of reasons why you need to go, and not stay with me—not yet.”

Yuri wrapped his arms around Otabek's neck, and heaved a small sigh. Everything with the alpha was always so _confusing_. He wished it could be easy, and simple, like it was for the betas. Yuri buried his face in the crook of Otabek's neck and inhaled, and the familiar scent of overpriced cologne and alpha musk made him tremble with delight.

He wanted to remember it after he was gone.

  
A sudden soft tapping upon the living room door drew Yuri and Otabek's attention away from each other, and when Yuri looked up, he spotted an older man in a suit standing in the doorway—a man that he did not recognize.

“Master Otabek,” he said with a short, respectful bow. “Apologies for interrupting, but this came for you, it appears to be quite urgent.”

The man held up a white manila envelope, and Otabek's brow furrowed with concern and curiosity. Sensing that their moment was over, Yuri reluctantly slid from Otabek's lap as the man approached and handed the envelope to Otabek. He bowed his way out, and when Yuri was certain that he was out of earshot, he turned his attention back to Otabek.

“Who _was_ that?” Yuri hissed softly, “he doesn't look familiar.”

“New butler,” Otabek replied distractedly, “I had to purge the staff recently—a few were complaining about how I _handled_ you, as they put it, and claimed I was letting you run roughshod over the whole estate, like you were a misbehaving child or something...” Otabek slit the envelope open, and pulled out a single slip of paper, and immediately cursed.

“What is it?” Yuri asked, and watched with wide eyes as Otabek jumped up and began to pace, one hand in his hair as he stared at the letter in the opposing limb with wide, disbelieving eyes.

“Go get your grandfather and Minami,” Otabek instructed in a firm tone that implied that he was not to argue the point. “Bring them here, and I'll explain. We need—” Otabek broke off and shook his head. “Just get them, and I'll explain. This concerns all of us.”

Sensing that whatever it was, it was very serious, Yuri did not hesitate, and with a quick nod he jumped to his feet and hastened from the room.

  
Yuri was almost too nervous to speak, and barely managed to choke out a, “Otabek wants us all in the living room,” to Minami and his grandfather. They both seemed to understand the urgency of the situation, and did not question Yuri as he led them back downstairs where Otabek was still pacing with the letter in hand. They all sat down without having to be asked, Yuri and Minami next to each other on the sofa, and Nikolai in the leather armchair nearer to the fireplace. Minami curled into Yuri's side like he always did, but Yuri did not protest it. Something told him that whatever Otabek had called them all here for, it wasn't good.

“Otabek?” Yuri prompted in a small voice when the alpha did not immediately speak, and continued to pace. Otabek slowed to a stop and looked up, an expression of surprise upon his face, as though he had no idea how Yuri and the others had gotten there. He glanced down at the letter in his hand, and back up to the others, and heaved a soft sigh of resignation.

“I received a letter just now from the Omega Relocation Office,” Otabek said dully, and everyone gasped at the same time. Had it not been for the tense situation, the response would have been almost funny, but there was no room for humour in the same sentence as _Omega Relocation Office_. They had but one purpose—to remove omegas from alphas deemed unfit to care for them and keep them in line, and they were sent to a foster alpha for retraining.

“They wish to come here and evaluate how you and Minami are being treated by me, according to a report from _an anonymous source_ ,” Otabek said, his voice almost hollow. “I guess Stephenson or Davies tipped them off. Honestly, I feel so stupid for not seeing this coming, but there's nothing I can do about that now.”

“But what _are_ we going to do?” Yuri asked, his voice shaking a little. “Are you going to actually show up to this evaluation thing?”

“No,” Otabek replied at once. “I'm going to rush through your tickets and get you out of the country. Minami, would you feel comfortable going to stay with Viktor and Yuuri for a while? I believe Phichit is still there, but it's only for a few more days, and we need to move _now_. If I can get everything in order before they realize what I'm doing and they freeze my accounts, I think we can all scatter and lay low until I work out how to get the accusations dropped...hopefully without bloodshed this time.”

Otabek's eye caught Yuri's, and the omega inclined his head once in understanding.

“I think I can...” Minami replied, his voice quivering a little, but he seemed to understand the gravity of the situation as he nodded. “But won't these people look there once they realize we've gone?”

“They will, but when they go to the Nikiforov residence, they won't find you,” Otabek replied calmly, but it did not seem to reassure the young omega at all.

“What do you mean?”

“Have you ever read the book, _Diary of Anne Frank_?”

“Ah,” Yuri said with a chuckle, “I get it.”

“I don't,” Minami replied as he pouted. “What does some old book have to do with anything?”

“He means to hide you in the walls and keep you there secretly, like people who helped Jews in Nazi Germany and things like that,” Yuri explained, and understanding dawned on Minami's face.

“ _Oh_. Like a sneaky cat in a dormitory!” Minami exclaimed, and Otabek laughed.

“Yes, exactly. It's something Viktor and I discussed in case something like this should ever happen. He has a few hidden compartments built into his house which you will be able to use if the ORO come looking,” Otabek said, and sobered up as he shifted his gaze to Yuri and Nikolai, then back to Minami. “Pack a bag, take only what you _absolutely_ need. We'll leave in the morning.”

Minami was on his feet and out of the room in an instant, closely followed by Yuri's grandfather. Yuri stood up to follow them, but felt, strangely, as though his feet had suddenly been glued to the floor.

“Yuri?” Otabek asked, “are you all right?”

“I'm not going to see you again, am I?” Yuri asked hollowly, and gazed over at the alpha miserably. Otabek frowned, and crossed the room. Immediately, Yuri folded himself into Otabek's arms. He swallowed thickly, and let out a small sniffle, but despite his efforts, he still felt tears sting his eyes. Otabek's hand fell to Yuri's hair, and he carded his fingers through the blond locks gently.

“Honestly? I don't know, Yuri,” Otabek replied softly before he kissed the top of his head. “I don't know what's going to happen.”

“I didn't think this would end so soon,” Yuri mumbled with another soft sniff. “I know we talked about me leaving, but it didn't seem real...” his fingers tensed in the folds of Otabek's shirt as he looked up at the alpha, blinking once, and finally allowed the tears to fall. Otabek's arms tensed around him, and Yuri shifted, trying to get closer to him.

“I know, sweetheart,” Otabek murmured, and Yuri shivered a little at the pet name as he gazed up at the alpha. “But it...it...we need to do it. For you, and for me.”

“I don't want to leave,” Yuri said in a rush as his voice cracked, “I—I don't want to go.”

“You have to—we I will _die_ before I let you get taken to a foster alpha. I'd never put even my worst enemy through something like that.”

Yuri did not know what to say. So many emotions were rushing through him, and he did not know which one to address first. He wanted to beg Otabek to come with him, what was _right_ about this stupid separation he was so set on be damned. The idea that something might happen to Otabek because of all he'd done of late for Yuri and Minami made his heart ache, and never in his life had he felt so scared for someone else—someone who was not his grandfather, that is.

“Will you give me something to remember you by?” Yuri asked as he continued to cling to Otabek, his eyes wide and shining.

“What do you want, Yuri?”

Otabek's voice, low and intense, sounded the same as it always did, albeit with a note of anguish to it for what they were about to do. Yuri knew what he wanted, he knew he probably _shouldn't_ , but at the moment, he didn't care.

Yuri arched up and kissed him.

It was not one of their more simple, tender, and sweet kisses that they had shared up to that point. There was a heat to it, burning under Yuri's skin like fire as he parted his lips in an effort to deepen the kiss. Otabek's arms tensed around him, and he seemed to be shaking a little, though Yuri could not tell whether this was an attempt to curb his own longing, or from anguish at their imminent parting.

“Yuri...” Otabek breathed softly, “I—I don't—”

“Shh,” Yuri hushed him, his lips mere millimetres from Otabek's, “please, just let me have this...”

Otabek's eyes were terribly conflicted, clouded with lust from the omega pressing himself so insistently up against him, but also filled with concern, as though he knew how wrong it was to indulge not just himself, but Yuri as well.

For once, Yuri didn't care. His heat was very close, but as far as Otabek knew, it had not come yet, and despite the alpha's claims that they needed to _separate_ and take some time apart, Yuri simply did _not_ care.

He _needed_ this.

Otabek's reservations seemed to crumble as Yuri kissed him, and with a soft groan he swept the omega into his arms, and with their mouths still latched together, he carried Yuri up to his bedroom.


	21. Don’t Leave Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next update will be Tuesday, December 19th. Enjoy! :)

Chapter Twenty – Don't Leave Me

“We shouldn't be doing this,” Otabek breathed as Yuri's back hit the mattress, forcing a soft gasp from the omega's lungs, “this is such a bad idea...”

“I don't care,” Yuri panted as he hooked an arm around Otabek's neck, and dragged him into a kiss. “We can regret it later. Please, just give this to me.”

“Yuri...” Otabek whimpered as he leant in to kiss him again, their lips parting in a rough, needy kiss.

They grappled at each other, hands shaking minutely as they tugged blindly at the upper clothing of the other, but Yuri merely laughed softly, and relaxed into the bed while he allowed Otabek to take control.

Otabek's arousal seemed to spike at this, while Yuri's innate omega instincts seemed to hum in approval at the move. Otabek kissed Yuri again, more tenderly this time, and Yuri reached up, a hand cupping the alpha's cheek while Otabek's large hands, soft from his charmed life, slipped beneath the hem of Yuri's shirt.

Yuri's stomach sucked in at the tickling sensation of Otabek's fingers brushing over his abdomen, and he lifted his arms above his head invitingly. Otabek smiled at him, and in particular at his open, silent admission of trust, something that he had been trying to gain for months.

Otabek's fingers fell to the hem of the sweater he wore, and he felt the alpha freeze in hesitation.

“Please, Beka,” Yuri begged softly, “please give me this, let me have something of yours to take with me when I go.”

“Is keeping me in your heart not enough?” Otabek asked, and Yuri laughed.

“You are _so_ sentimental,” Yuri teased lightly. “I just...I feel like I _need_ this. I don't know when I'll see you again, or if I ever will. Put your morals aside and give me one night, that's all I'm asking.”

“Oh, Yuri,” Otabek moaned as he once more gave in to temptation, and peeled off Yuri's sweater and T-shirt in one swift move. “I've wanted this for so long...I've wanted _you_ for so long...”

“Then have me,” Yuri replied, and felt his face grow hot at the cheesy line. Otabek laughed, though it was a warm sound, and not teasing. He leant in to kiss Yuri again, but this time his mouth did not remain solely against Yuri's, but moved gently along his jaw and throat. He paused over Yuri's bonding gland, and the omega's breath hitched. Before he could protest, Otabek moved on to explore the rest of him.

“Oh, Yuri,” Otabek breathed, “you are just so lovely...” he nipped at Yuri's clavicle, and Yuri shivered again. “Every part of you is just so perfect...I lo—” Otabek broke off abruptly, and kissed his sternum. Yuri let out a breath as the kisses moved to his chest. Strangely, Yuri was deeply relieved that Otabek had not finished his phrase. Yuri had a feeling it would be next to impossible to say goodbye if he'd actually voiced his true feelings.

Otabek's exploratory mouth moved to Yuri's right nipple, and he shivered as the alpha encircled it with his tongue, then suckled on the hardened nub gently. Yuri moaned and arched his back, one hand moving to Otabek's hair, silently spurring him forward.

“Beka...” Yuri whined, panting a little as one of Otabek's hands trailed down his front and to his jeans, where he deftly unbuttoned the garment and pulled down the zip before he slipped his hand into Yuri's underwear.

_He's done this before..._ Yuri thought hazily as the large hand of his alpha coiled around his cock, already hard and aching, and he arched into the touch. The vague thought was not pleasant; Yuri disliked the idea of anyone touching Otabek that was not him, though Yuri imagined that likely the same was true for Otabek. Otabek had been quite possessive of him in the past, after all, and Yuri knew that that was not a cultural attitude thing, that was an instinctual _alpha_ thing.

“Yuri...” Otabek panted when he lifted his mouth from the blushing nipple, “you feel so good...you...you...” the alpha appeared to be at a loss for words, and in response, Yuri sat up and kissed him hard.

“Don't think,” Yuri breathed against his lips while his hands dropped to the buttons on his shirt. “Just feel me.”

Otabek whimpered weakly at the way Yuri offered himself so freely, and leant back a little (though it seemed to be a genuine struggle for him) as he allowed Yuri to unbutton his shirt.

The alpha shrugged out of the garment and tossed it aside, closely followed by the fitted undershirt he had been wearing beneath it.

The last time Yuri had seen Otabek even partially undressed it had been months before, back when Otabek had insisted they share a bed. At the time, it had usually been in the dark that Yuri would witness him changing, and when they were actually in bed together Yuri had made a point of trying to _avoid_ looking at him.

Now, Yuri drank in the sight hungrily.

Otabek was mostly hairless, save for a narrow trail of dark, wiry hairs that disappeared into the top of his visibly tented jeans. He seemed to have no body fat, and his chest and abdomen were nothing but hard muscle.

Yuri reached out, and pressed his palm to Otabek's abdomen, and smiled a little when he felt the muscle twitch under his hand.

His smile broadening a little, Yuri reached up with his free hand, coiled it around the back of Otabek's neck, and pulled him into another kiss.

At the same time, Yuri's hand trailed slowly downward, teasing the edge of the alpha's jeans idly before he slipped his hand into the warm confines, and in a mirror move to his alpha, closed his hand around his deliciously thick cock.

Otabek broke the kiss as he let out a low groan, and his whole body seemed to tense at the familiar touch.

“Yuri...” he moaned, and kissed him again as he began to tug one-handed at Yuri's jeans in an effort to get them off. Yuri chuckled at his efforts, and lifted his ass off the bed slightly, enabling Otabek to peel the garment off more easily.

It was strangely freeing to feel the garment fall away, and Yuri shivered when he felt Otabek's hands press into the tops of his bare thighs, and snake up towards his aching hard-on.

“Please,” Yuri panted for what felt like the millionth time, “Beka, _please_...”

“Yuri...” Otabek breathed in a similar tone of voice as his hand curled around the omega's cock.

It was like finding an oasis after wandering around a desert for weeks, or living in Plato's cave and seeing people for the first time, or watching the sun rise after a winter of darkness in the arctic.

It was what Yuri had been missing all his life.

Yuri rocked his hips, arching into the touch of his alpha, while tears of happiness poured down his cheeks. Otabek wiped them away without question or protest; he seemed to understand that they were not a show of anguish.

“My Beka, I—” Yuri moaned, but bit down hard on the words that threatened to tumble from his lips. To proclaim his love felt strangely wrong in that moment; in part because Yuri was still uncertain how much of the feeling was genuine, but also because saying it would make it more real, and make leaving all that much harder come the morning.

“Tell me that you want this,” Otabek commanded softly, his tone less of an order, and more of a plea, as though he wanted to be certain that Yuri wanted this to happen before he moved forward.

“I want this,” Yuri replied at once as he tugged at the beltloops of Otabek's jeans, “I want _you_. Please, let me see you.”

Smiling faintly, Otabek curled his fingers inside the waistband of his jeans, and tugged them down, exposing himself fully to his omega.

Like all alphas, Otabek sported an enviable cock. Yuri licked his lips at the sight of it, and he could swear he felt his ass tingle, longing to be filled.

Yuri reached out and wrapped his hand around the base of it, and smiled when he felt Otabek shiver slightly. His fingers, long as they were, closed around the shaft easily, but it was still deliciously thick, and as Yuri bowed forward to taste it, he nearly moaned aloud at the way his lips stretched around the alpha's girth.

A shuddering moan slipped past Otabek's lips as a hand dropped to Yuri's shoulder, the fingers twitching as though he wasn't certain whether he wanted to stop Yuri, or encourage him.

Yuri took advantage of Otabek's indecision, and slowly worked the thick cock farther into his mouth and down his throat. It had been quite some time since he'd done this for anybody, but for the first time he was doing it willingly, and not because he was being paid, which was a new experience for him, and Yuri was marginally amazed and how much he liked it.

“Oh, _Yuri_...” Otabek groaned, his hips twitching weakly as he struggled to keep from thrusting forward and possibly hurting his lover, while Yuri reached up to give his ass a good squeeze of reassurance.

Yuri would have liked for Otabek to cum down his throat, but unlike omegas, who were only fertile during their heats and had twice the energy to burn, alphas could rut at any time, but usually could not cum a second time, given how physically exhausting it was for them. Having an in-heat omega around usually helped to remedy this, but given that As far as Otabek knew Yuri was _not_ in heat, he had no desire to tire out his lover too quickly, he reluctantly pulled back, licking his lips like a cat with a bowl of cream.

There was a confusing look on Otabek's face when Yuri finally looked back up at him. It was much more sorrowful than a man should look after having his cock sucked, and strangely, Yuri knew that it had nothing to do with his impending trip.

Yuri opened his mouth to ask what was the matter, but Otabek silenced him with a kiss before he could ask. The omega reached up and wrapped his arms around Otabek's neck, and trembled as the alpha slowly coaxed him onto his back. Being pinned down like this should have been nerve-racking, but instead it was nothing short of _glorious_.

“Yuri,” Otabek said, his voice shaking a little as his hands dropped to cup the omega's ass. “are you—”

“—don't ask me if I'm sure,” Yuri interrupted, his voice trembling similarly to Otabek's. He kissed the alpha again. “I'm not sure. I'm not sure of anything. All I know is that I _need_ this, Beka.”

The pet name in lieu of Otabek's proper name seemed to succeed in shutting the alpha up, for the moment, anyway, and he leant in to kiss Yuri one last time before he reached for the bedside table. He dug into the drawer, and pulled out a tube of lubricant. Yuri felt his breath catch with nervous excitement.

“Let me know if I hurt you, sweetheart,” Otabek said gently, and Yuri trembled all over at the sound of the nickname. When they reunited, Yuri hoped that Otabek would call him _nothing_ else.

Yuri nodded as he watched Otabek squeeze out a measure of the lube onto his fingers and spread it out onto the digits, ensuring that they were evenly coated. He then rested his free hand against Yuri's hip, adjusting the omega's position before he gently parted his cheeks, and teased his entrance with one of the lubricated fingers. Yuri shivered at the sensation, his eyes slipping shut as he eased back against the mattress and relaxed.

“Don't fall asleep on me now,” Otabek teased as one of his fingers began to slip past Yuri's ring of guardian muscles, which caused the omega to laugh.

“No chance of that,” Yuri replied as he parted his thighs a little more, and Otabek eased the finger in deeper, making him shiver.

Otabek seemed to have worked out that this was hardly Yuri's first time, and thus spent a little less time preparing him than what one might do for a virgin. For the moment, at least, Otabek seemed to have no desire to sit down and _discuss_ it, and instead moved forward, removing his fingers, and reaching for the condoms.

Which was when Yuri stopped him.

“I'm not in heat,” Yuri reminded him gently as his hand closed around the alpha's wrist. “No chance of accidental...anything. You know that omegas are totally infertile outside their heats. Beka, I _want_ you to fill me.”

“Yuri, I don't—”

“— _please_.”

Otabek eyed him dubiously, his nostrils flared and his eyes narrowed, as though he suspected Yuri was up to something. Yuri whimpered plaintively as he sat back up and pressed a kiss to the corner of Otabek's mouth gently.

“Beka, please,” Yuri murmured, his hands pressing to the alpha's chest, and he trailed them up to his neck. Otabek shivered a little at Yuri's touch, but still appeared doubtful.

“But what if by some fluke—”

“—I wind up with a bun in the oven?” Yuri asked, and Otabek nodded a little. “Beka, I'm _not_ in heat. Omegas cannot conceive outside their heats, period. Do you not want to do this? Because—”

“—no,” Otabek interrupted, “I want to, believe me, but I worry, too. What if something _does_ happen, and you're left to go through it alone?”

“There are ways,” Yuri reassured him, “if by some ridiculous fluke something like that were to happen, there are always ways to get in touch. I know my own body, Beka, and if I say there's no risk, then there is _no_ risk.”

At last Otabek's body seemed to sag in silent understanding, and he nodded as with a small smile while he leant in for another kiss.

“I love the idea of filling you up, Yuri,” Otabek murmured in between kisses, “I just don't want to do something that might harm your future...should you decide that I am not good enough for you.”

Yuri smiled softly at Otabek, and reached out to gently touch his cheek before he kissed him again.

_He really has changed,_ Yuri thought approvingly, _when all this is over, he'll finally be someone I can be proud to call my alpha._

As they kissed, Otabek gently eased Yuri onto his back again. His heartbeat tripled in anticipation while he reached up to bury his fingers in the alpha's hair, eliciting a soft groan from him.

“ _Yura_...” Otabek breathed reverently as he pulled back from the kiss reluctantly, and moved his hands to his hips, guiding his omega back into position. Yuri went with him without hesitation, trust radiating from him in every move that he made.

Yuri watched with his bottom lip caught between his teeth as Otabek lined himself up with Yuri's prepared hole, and ever so slowly he breached Yuri's entrance.

Yuri groaned at the sensation of his ass stretching around Otabek's cock, and clenched around the organ instinctively, which caused Otabek to shudder as he struggled to enter Yuri slowly, rather than sheath himself in one swift movement.

Yuri let out a soft whine of impatience, to which Otabek merely chuckled and leant in to kiss Yuri again, more gently this time, his hands shifting to Yuri's thighs and holding him in position as he slowly slid himself inside. Yuri's legs trembled a little from the strain, but Otabek's hands holding him steady eased some of the discomfort, and after what felt like an infuriatingly long time, Otabek sheathed himself fully inside of his omega.

Yuri instinctively wrapped his legs around Otabek's waist and locked his ankles together at the small of his back. Otabek let out a soft groan around their kiss as he began to rock his hips, sliding in and out of Yuri fluidly, as though they had done this a hundred times before. Yuri fell back onto the bed as Otabek straightened up, holding onto Yuri's narrow hips in an almost bruising grip, while his gentle thrusts increased in speed, and he slammed into Yuri roughly, making him grunt and jerk along with his alpha, his head tilted up to stare at Otabek as he fucked him, the alpha appearing as though he had ascended to some higher plain of consciousness.

_And the place he's ascended to is me_ , Yuri thought, his chest heaving as Otabek thrust into him, his pace brutal and rough, ensuring that Yuri would feel it long after they'd parted.

Yuri could feel Otabek's knot beginning to swell, and his mind seemed to explode in sensation as his alpha pushed it past Yuri's ring of muscle. Despite not being a virgin, Yuri had always been careful to not take alpha _customers_ , unless it was for oral sex. As a result he had never been knotted before, and now, Yuri was grateful that it was Otabek who was his first in that respect. The overwhelming sense of completion that washed over Yuri as Otabek locked them together was unlike anything Yuri had heretofore experienced. He had never in his life felt so _perfect_ and _loved_ , and Yuri had no idea whether that was from being knotted, or just because it was _Otabek_ knotting him.

“B-Beka...” Yuri whispered as tears began to trickle down his cheeks—tears of joy.

“Shh, my precious Yura,” Otabek murmured, his voice shaking a little through the overwhelming pleasure, “it's all right, you're fine...”

Yuri arched up a little to kiss his alpha, just as he rocked forward one last time, sealing himself firmly in place as he groaned and found his release. The sheer volume of cum did indeed fill him, and Yuri clenched down on Otabek's cock, determined to hold in the semen, even after he pulled out later. Yuri, too, found his release, it splattering all over their stomachs as they continued to kiss, but Yuri barely noticed it, with his mind still so hyper-focused on the cock in his ass.

“Thank you, Beka,” Yuri breathed, panting softly as they broke the kiss, and he reached up to touch the alpha's cheek. The muscle under his fingers twitched into a warm smile, and with on hand at Yuri's back, he eased them onto their sides.

“Was this what you wanted—to remember me by?” Otabek asked softly, the hand moving to stroke Yuri's hair while they waited for Otabek's knot to deflate.

“Yes, thank you,” Yuri replied, shifting carefully as he tried to get comfortable, but even with all his caution, each small move caused Otabek to wince or grimace. “Was it...good for you too?”

“Oh, yes,” Otabek said, laughter in his tone as he leant forward to brush a kiss to Yuri's temple. “You completely seduced me, Yura.”

Yuri smiled indulgently at Otabek's confession, while the alpha wrapped his arms more securely around the omega, holding him close.

“This encounter, so to speak, _has_ taught me one thing, however...” Otabek said suddenly, and Yuri's gaze snapped up in alarm. He felt his stomach drop at the serious look upon his face, and Yuri realized, stupidly, that Otabek had worked it out—what he had done to keep himself fed and clothed while on the streets. Yuri bit his lip, bracing himself for a rejection. What sort of well-respected alpha would want a former whore as their bondmate?

“Sweetheart, I am so sorry that you had to go through that.”

Yuri blinked, certain that he'd misheard him.

“What?”

“I'm sorry that you had to subject yourself to that, just to stay alive,” Otabek repeated, “no one should have to do that to themselves just to keep their bellies full. I'm sorry that our completely backwards system forced you into it.”

“You're not...mad?”

“Why would I be mad about that?” he asked, blinking at Yuri with confusion. “You had no choice—or, at least, not a _lot_ of choice. It'd be like being mad that you had no home, or didn't eat every day—it wasn't your fault, so it'd be stupid to blame you for it.”

“You know what, Beka?” Yuri said, and the alpha arched an eyebrow at him. “I could easily fall in love with you.”

“I know, Yura,” Otabek replied as he brushed a kiss to Yuri's temple, “me too.”

~*~

Yuri would have liked to lie in Otabek's arms and pray that the morning would never come. Unfortunately, Otabek seemed more keen on being responsible, and after a quick shower, he offered Yuri one last kiss before he escorted him to the door.

“Go pack,” Otabek ordered him gently, “remember—only what you need. Don't forget your suppressants. I need to get the plane tickets for you and your grandfather, but you can come back here and we can go to sleep together if you want, but do this first, all right?”

“Yeah, all right,” Yuri replied with a small wince as he got on his toes to kiss Otabek again. He didn't want to go—he wanted to go even less now—but he knew now that there would be no swaying the alpha, and decided it'd be better to save his protests for another time.

Yuri shuffled down the hall and to his room, intending to make a beeline for the closet and grab his bag, but instead he was stopped short by Minami, who was sitting on the edge of his bed, his arms crossed, and a disapproving frown on his face. In that moment, he looked very much like a parent catching their child coming home after curfew.

“All packed?” Yuri asked conversationally as he meandered over to his closet and tugged out his bag—a new backpack to replace the one the tiger had destroyed during Yuri's bid for freedom. The remark did not soften the omega's expression, and Minami glared at him. “What?”

“You know goddamn well _what_ ,” Minami said, his voice more angry than Yuri had ever heard it before. “Are you _insane_?”

“What did I do?”

“You are in heat, and you slept with Otabek—and _don't_ deny it, I'm not stupid. You and I are in sync, I started this morning, but I'm taking my suppressants, and I doubled up out of nerves because of what happened with Phichit, so I wouldn't show any symptoms. So are you, I found the empty bottle in your garbage. Yuri, you can still get pregnant on suppressants, it's not a contraceptive. What on earth were you _thinking_?”

“It's _insurance_ , all right?” Yuri hissed, but the quick explanation did not seem to placate the other omega at all. “It's not what you think.”

“Yeah? Because I'm thinking you did this to force Otabek to not let you go.”

“That's not it,” Yuri replied at once, but Minami did not seem to believe him. “Look, I know how these Omega Relocation people work, there is a _very_ good chance this escape attempt will blow up in our faces, and I'll get carted off anyway, maybe you too, I don't know. But the government here, they're very conservative, and they'll be less hard on a pregnant omega. It's insurance to make sure I survive retraining so that I can get back to Beka and you.”

“You don't know if you'll get taken, Otabek will make sure you're safe—”

“—he'll _try_ ,” Yuri corrected, “there's no guarantees in this life, not for us. I don't know if I'm really _mom material_ , or how Otabek will feel when he finds out, but...this little blob of cells that's probably in there already is the _only_ thing that will keep me from getting totally destroyed by a Trainer.”

Minami eyed Yuri dubiously, the look of disapproval never falling from his face. He crossed his arms, and shook his head a little.

“I think you're being extremely stupid, Yuri, but for the sake of your child, I really hope you know what you're doing.”

Yuri grimaced, and pressed a palm to his flat abdomen.

“Yeah, me too.”


	22. Flight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is the final chapter of part one of Never Let Me Go – The Omega's Fate. I'll be taking a break for the Saturnalia season, and I will be back with Part II: The Alpha's Bane on January 7th—as of this update, I'll be moving over to Sunday updates due to internet connectivity issues. Until my return from my mini hiatus, please enjoy this early chapter! :)

Chapter Twenty-One – Flight

 

The atmosphere the following day was tense—far more tense than Yuri had expected it to be.

Early that morning, Yuri, his grandfather, Otabek, and Minami all piled into Otabek's old Honda, a beat-up and unassuming vehicle he had tucked away in one far corner of his expansive garage. Nikolai took the wheel, while Minami perched himself in the passenger seat, and Yuri and Otabek cuddled up together in the back.

It felt a little strange to be curled up with Otabek in front of his grandfather (or behind him, as the case may be) but at the moment, Yuri could not find it in himself to care very much, not when their future was so deeply uncertain.

“I'm going to miss you, Beka,” Yuri mumbled softly, and reached for the alpha's hand. He offered the limb to him freely, and they laced their fingers together.

“I'll miss you too, Yura,” Otabek murmured, and kissed his temple lightly. “But it's only for a little while. Then you'll come back, if you like, and we can do whatever you want, whether it's get together, stay apart, whatever. It's up to you.”

“The first one,” Yuri mumbled as he tried to shift closer to him, despite the fact that he was already more or less in the alpha's lap. “Definitely the first one. Will you call, or text, or anything? You will, right?”

“I don't know if that's such a good idea, Yuri,” Otabek replied while he reached up to stroke the omega's hair, “the whole point of this is to give you space from me, to decide for yourself what you want to do with your life. If we're talking, I don't think you'll be able to do that.”

“Oh.” Yuri frowned, and pressed his head against Otabek's shoulder. The alpha fell silent, his hand still tangled in Yuri's hair, and they watched the scenery pass them by.

“I'll wait for you if you want me to, Yuri,” Otabek murmured after a few minutes, “but I want you to live for _you_ first. Do you understand?”

“I think so,” Yuri mumbled sadly as his fingers tensed around the edge of the leather jacket that Otabek wore, “I just hate how complicated this is, you know?”

“I know, sweetheart,” Otabek murmured as he kissed Yuri's temple again, and pulled him a little closer, “believe me, I know.”

 

The quartet drove for another few kilometres before Otabek directed Nikolai into a narrow dirt road in the middle of the woods. It was so off the beaten path that had they not been looking for it, there was every chance that they would have never found it. At the end of it, they found a tiny, shabby log cabin, the heavy snow on the roof of it making it look like an iced cake. Next to it was a car, similar to the one they were seated in in the sense that it was an anonymous sort of vehicle, and inside of it Yuri could see Viktor, Yuuri, and Phichit waiting for them. The two alphas were in the front seats, while Yuuri was in the back, more or less pinned down by his enormously pregnant belly, making him look very much like he had stuffed a huge balloon under his parka.

Minami regarded the vehicle nervously, his eyes fixed upon Phichit, who seemed to be determinedly staring at his knees as they made their approach. Yuri abandoned his cuddling with Otabek to reach forward and take Minami's hand, and the other omega squeezed Yuri's hand tightly.

Nikolai killed the engine and everyone got out of the pair of cars—except for Yuuri, who opened the door, but didn't get up.

Minami stood next to Yuri, their hands twined together and Minami's overstuffed backpack hanging precariously off his shoulder. He rocked on his feet nervously like a diver about to jump, his gaze flitting frequently to Phichit, who still seemed to be trying to keep from looking at him—with little success. The expression the alpha bore, Yuri noted, was not one of the usual possessive lust that he'd grown accustomed to seeing upon the faces of alphas when presented with someone or some _thing_ that they wanted. Instead, it was a sweet sort of longing, which made Yuri confident that Phichit would continue his Perfect Gentleman routine long after he'd left Minami's side.

“You ready, Minami?” Viktor asked kindly as he held out a welcoming hand to him, but Minami shrunk back instinctively, tucking himself into Yuri's side like a nervous child. Viktor's warm smile fell, and he dropped his arm. “I'm sorry, did I scare you?”

“I don't—I mean...” Minami trailed off and clutched to Yuri more tightly. “ _I don't know if I can do this_ ,” he whispered to Yuri in a rush, and he stared up at his companion with a terrified look in his eyes.

“C'mon, Minami,” Yuri said encouragingly while he wrapped an arm around the younger omega's shoulders and slowly led him to the back seat of the car where Yuuri was waiting. “You can do this. It's only for a little while, after all. All the doors at their house have locks on them, and Yuuri will be there to keep you safe—and you _know_ he's the best momma bear out of the lot of us.”

“I'm tired of being _baby bear_ ,” Minami mumbled sourly, to which Yuri couldn't help but laugh a little.

“Then show us all how tough you are, and do this despite being scared,” Yuri encouraged gently. “Sometimes being an adult means doing things you really don't want to, and you _know_ Yuuri and Viktor wouldn't let anything happen to you, or let anyone touch you without your consent, right?”

“Right,” Minami mumbled, though it sounded as though he didn't really believe it.

Yuri coaxed the nervous omega the rest of the way to the side of the car, and Yuuri got to his feet with an audible groan. Despite being just past twenty weeks he was already _huge_ , which, Yuri supposed, was to be expected, given that he was carrying multiples.

“Minami-kun,” Yuuri greeted warmly as he tugged the omega in for a hug, which Minami returned. He murmured something to the younger omega that Yuri didn't catch, but he assumed that it was some sort of reassurance, given the way Minami smiled weakly and nodded. Both Phichit and Viktor kept their distance as Yuuri guided Minami into the back of the car before he turned back to Yuri, and offered him a watery smile.

“Well...I guess this really is goodbye,” Yuuri said, blinking rapidly as he spoke, but it did little to stop the tears from falling. “I'm going to miss you, Yurio.”

Yuri's bottom lip trembled, and he tugged Yuuri into a hug before he spotted the way Yuri, too, was close to tears.

“ _Take care of Minami_ ,” Yuri whispered to the other omega. “ _He's really physically starved for affection, and he'll probably need someone close by tonight—another omega,_ not _an alpha._ ”

“ _I'll spend the night with him if that's what he needs;_ _I won't let anyone hurt him, I promise,_ ” Yuuri replied softly, “ _not Phichit, not Viktor—not even Makkachin. I'll protect him._ ” Yuuri pulled back, his eyes glassy, and he smiled at Yuri warmly. “You just worry about taking care of you, and take _tons_ of pictures of Iceland to show us, okay?”

Yuri nodded, uncertain if his voice was up to working properly, and Yuuri dragged him in for another tight, bone-crushing hug.

“I think I'll miss you most of all, Scarecrow,” Yuuri murmured in a soft, cracked voice, and Yuri cursed as he felt tears begin to streak his own cheeks.

“Fuck, and I w-was trying to be strong...” Yuri choked out, which made Yuuri laugh warmly as he rubbed his back.

“Don't worry, I won't tell. Be safe, okay?” Yuuri said, and Yuri nodded a little, sniffling as he rubbed roughly at his cheeks with his sleeve.

Yuri paused for one last hug goodbye from Minami and a very awkward handshake from Viktor, which, Yuri noted, seemed to make Otabek visibly uncomfortable, despite his clear efforts to not act on the reaction. He shifted from foot to foot as he eyed Viktor darkly, and Yuri bit the inside of his cheek in an effort to curb his temptation to egg Otabek on. Instead, he tucked himself into Otabek's side, which seemed to calm the alpha's domineering instincts, and they rejoined Nikolai at the car.

Yuri and Otabek returned to the back seat, and as Nikolai started the engine and backed out of the little space, Yuri turned to watch Minami, Yuuri, and the others until they were completely obscured by the trees, then eased into Otabek's side while he directed Nikolai towards the airport, despite the fact that there was still nothing but a single stretch of highway, bracketed by thick woods. Yuri knew that the others would wait until they were long gone before leaving so as to not arouse suspicion by anyone who might be watching, and as a result, did not look for them, instead choosing to curl into Otabek's side and savour what little time they had left.

 

“After I'm gone, where will you go?” Yuri asked suddenly, as the trees around them slowly began to thin, and the city skyline began to form in the distance.

“Hm?”

“You said you were going to...um, _lay low_ after I left. Where will you go?”

“Viktor has a lodge up north,” Otabek replied as he ghosted a kiss to Yuri's forehead. “It's fully stocked, electricity, WiFi, everything I'll need, and with the unpredictable weather I could get snowed in and the ORO wouldn't be able to investigate until spring, so I'll have a few months in seclusion to try and get this mess worked out.”

“I know you want us to not stay in contact, but could you just promise me _one_ thing?” Yuri asked, his small voice, the note of uncertainty in it, it seemed to give the alpha pause as he gazed at Yuri curiously.

“Anything,” Otabek replied almost immediately, and Yuri couldn't help but smile a little.

“Just...let me know that you got there safe. We can cut contact after that, but I just want to know you got there in one piece. Please?”

Yuri's eyes were wide and pleading, his lower lip caught between his teeth, and to the omega's complete surprise, Otabek did something then that Yuri did not expect.

He laughed.

It was not loud and exuberant, and in fact barely counted as a laugh at all. However, from someone like Otabek, who was normally so reserved, it was just as good as the biggest, loudest laugh in the world.

Otabek's lips stretched into a warm smile as he reached out to cradle Yuri's cheek.

“How could I say _no_ to such a sweet face?” he asked rhetorically, and leant in to peck Yuri's lips lightly. “All right, I promise to let you know I got there safe, but _that's it_.”

Yuri smiled as he arched up to kiss Otabek again, but this time, there was a distinct ache in his chest as well, for on the horizon he could see the city lights getting closer.

 

~*~

 

The airport was _huge_.

The only place Yuri could think of that was possibly bigger than the airport's interior was Otabek's house, and even then it was a fairly close contest.

Everything was white and grey, the massive passageways were dotted with duty-free shops as well as a number of restaurants and cafés, and the ceilings were so high that Yuri had to squint to properly see the scaffolding.

“First time in an airport?” Otabek teased as an arm looped around Yuri's waist, and the omega felt the colour rise in his cheeks.

“I always looked at this place in the distance, but I never went in,” Yuri said, a note of awe in his voice as they walked. “I mean, it's not like I could ever afford to go anywhere, so I just...”

“So you just never went in?” Otabek asked, “not even to look?”

“No,” Yuri replied as he shook his head, “I would get so depressed at the thought of not being able to escape here just by _looking_ at the place, I figured it'd be worse if I actually went inside. Plus, airports are like the first place House Catchers look for runaways, so...”

“Well, you're escaping now,” Otabek said with a small smile as he leant in to kiss his temple. “To a brand new life.”

“Yeah,” Yuri replied as he leant into Otabek's embrace, “I am.”

 

Yuri and his grandfather hung back a little while they went through the checkpoints and customs, allowing Otabek to take care of it all for them. Part of Yuri still balked at the idea of letting an alpha take control like this, but a larger part of him felt warm and safe at the concept. He was _taken care of_.

It was a nice feeling.

Yuri's right hand strayed to his abdomen as he watched Otabek talk with the clerk, for the first time remembering what had occurred the night before.

_Are you in there, kid?_ Yuri wondered idly, _if anything bad happens, I'm counting on you to keep us safe. I won't let them hurt us, but you gotta do your part too, okay?_

Yuri almost laughed out loud at the internal conversation, and dropped his arm just as Otabek turned back to them, and reached for Yuri.

Otabek wrapped an arm around the omega, and leant in to kiss his cheek. He faltered, his lips hovering close to his face, and Yuri blinked up at him.

“Something wrong?” Yuri asked, and Otabek smiled as he shook his head a little.

“No. I thought...but, never mind. Let's go.”

With Otabek's arm securely around him, he led them farther into the airport.

Once they reached their terminal, Yuri and Otabek sat down together in the crowded waiting area, still entwined in each other's arms while they stared at the gate door like it was a fearsome beast.

Yuri didn't want to go, but he knew better than to voice it. Once again Otabek would explain to him how he _had_ to go, for the sake of his own brain or something. Instead, Yuri shifted closer to his alpha, and heaved a soft sigh and he clung to him.

“I know you don't want to go, Yura,” Otabek murmured suddenly, as though he'd been reading Yuri's thoughts, “but it's for the best. Even if I had not been worried about your mind, with the ORO looking for us, it's better that we split up, even if it's temporary. We're just too easy to spot together...”

“You keep saying, _it's for the best,_ but it doesn't feel like it...” Yuri mumbled miserably, “I just found this, found _you,_ and now I have to let it go? It's not _fair_.”

“I know, baby,” Otabek said as he kissed the top of Yuri's head, “I'm sorry, but it's for the—”

“—for the best, I _know_ ,” Yuri replied grumpily, and Otabek chuckled warmly.

“You're adorable when you're grumpy, do you know that?” Otabek asked as he kissed Yuri's cheek, and the omega's expression soured a little.

“Shut up,” Yuri replied without any real venom, and elbowed the alpha lightly. He chuckled warmly, and kissed Yuri's cheek again, making Yuri laugh along with him.

“ _Otabek_ , _Yuratchka,_ ” Nikolai said suddenly, his voice soft but sharp with warning. Both young men turned to him, and his expression was deeply grave. Yuri swallowed nervously as he gazed at his grandfather. Barring his initial removal from his home at sixteen, he could not recall the last time Nikolai had looked so grave.

“Do not panic,” he whispered, more to Yuri than to Otabek, “and look over there.”

He nodded to the left side of the terminal, and when Yuri looked over, he inhaled sharply.

A suited man, clearly a government official, was striding directly towards them with police in tow.

Yuri lurched forward to bolt, but Otabek's arm around his waist stopped him short.

“ _Don't. Panic._ ” Otabek's hissed words did not comfort Yuri at all, and he could feel his heart beating wildly in his chest, and began to hyperventilate as he stared wide-eyed at the approaching figures.

Otabek did not speak, but slowly and carefully drew the grey hood of Yuri's hoodie over his head, and helped him to stand slowly and casually as though they had not noticed the men. Entwined like a pair of lovers, Yuri and Otabek made a show of meandering towards where the bathrooms were. At the same time, Otabek pulled on his sunglasses, and tensed his arm around Yuri in silent reassurance.

“It'll look too suspicious if we both put on sunglasses,” Otabek explained softly as they moved, “just stay calm and hold tight to me. I won't let anything happen to you.”

Yuri nodded a little, and breathed slowly in through his nose and out through his mouth, using the even breathing as an attempt to stay calm—though Yuri did not feel as though it was helping very much. Yuri continued to hold tight to Otabek as they moved, and struggled with the temptation to look back and see how close the ORO people were.

“Don't look,” Otabek said urgently, once more as though he'd read Yuri's mind, “just keep walking.”

Otabek picked up his pace, and Yuri stumbled a little as he hastened to match the alpha's stride. They moved past the bathrooms, around a sharp corner, and Otabek tugged Yuri into a small alcove out of direct view. He put a finger to his lips, signalling for Yuri to be quiet, but even as he did so a shadow cast over the pair of them, and they froze.

Yuri didn't want to look up. He knew exactly who was standing there, he knew that they had been caught, and Yuri did not want to know it. At the same time however, it was as though he had lost control of his own body, and despite his reluctance, he slowly flicked his gaze upwards.

Standing there was the ORO officer, staring at the pair of them calmly with a vague, placid smile upon his face. He was flanked by two police men, both of whom were thick with muscle, and were smirking at them nastily.

“You didn't seriously think such a juvenile trick would work on us,” the man said gently, almost sweetly, “did you?”

“Yura, _run!_ ”

Otabek shoved Yuri hard, but in the alpha's panic he was not watching what he was doing as carefully as he should have been, and wound up pushing Yuri directly into one of the police men. The omega yelped as his arms were pinned at his back, and he immediately stomped down on the policeman's foot, but it did not help to slacken his hold. Yuri glanced up at Otabek, hoping to see him running away and saving himself, but unfortunately he, too, had been caught by a police officer. His teeth were clenched with anger, and his arms, like Yuri's, were pinned at his back.

“ _Beka!_ ” Yuri cried as he tugged at the hold he was caught in, but as before, he found himself stuck.

“Oh, how sweet,” the ORO man cooed as he stood between them. “Another one of those silly couples who think they are _above_ the law...” he stepped over to Yuri and tugged down his hood, and brushed his hair away from his throat. He then removed a strange contraption from his pocket, like a thermometer, but with a wickedly sharp needle affixed to the end of it. Yuri paled, but it did not stop the man from opening the sweater, yanking down one sleeve and pushing up his T-shirt to expose his shoulder.

Yuri yelped in pain as the needle was jammed into his arm. Tears sprung to his eyes as the man held the needle in the muscle until it beeped before he pulled it out. He ignored the faint trickle of blood that had begun to stain the sleeve of Yuri's T-shirt while he consulted the little machine, and smirked to himself.

“Just as I thought,” he pronounced to their tiny group, and Yuri paled as he realized what the machine must do.

_No,_ he thought in a panic, _don't say it, please, don't tell him...!_

“Pregnant, and no bonding mark,” the man proclaimed, and Yuri looked past him to Otabek, who had gone very white. “Goodness me, you really have _no_ concept of our laws, do you? Did you think we would be kinder, gentler, to a whore omega who happened to be with child? There are ways to train you that are _just_ as effective without harming the life within you, you silly omega. I wonder, did you manipulate this alpha into fucking you while in heat, or was it a joint venture?”

He looked between Yuri and Otabek curiously, and Yuri watched as realization and heartbreak settled in Otabek's eyes. Yuri tried to catch his gaze to silently explain that _no_ that was not it, he was not simply another fuck, but Otabek would not look at him. Otabek's gaze was fixed firmly upon the floor of the airport as he blinked, and Yuri watched, horror-struck, as tears streaked the alpha's cheeks.

“Beka...” Yuri whispered weakly, but Otabek did not look up.

“You will both be taken in,” the official proclaimed, drawing Yuri's attention once more, “Yuri Plisetsky, you will undergo retraining, and once your bastard child is born, it will be given up for adoption before you are reassigned to an Omega House. Otabek Altin, you are to be incarcerated in a re-education centre for the term of one year, and you are barred from seeing Yuri Plisetsky or your unborn child for the remainder of your lives. Take them.”

“No, _no!_ ” Yuri cried as he struggled against the hold when the policeman began to lead him away. “Beka! _Beka!_ ”

Otabek kept his head bowed, and went with the policeman willingly while Yuri continued to struggle.

He did not look up.

 

End of Part I

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Just to be clear, I am fairly certain (people who have had babies can correct me if I'm wrong) that in the real world the day after is way, way, way too soon to determine whether one is preggo or not. But, consider this a sci-fi quirk, haha. Also, from here on out, the warnings and tags are going to spike. I'm sure you guys can assume I'm not exaggerating, and when this mini hiatus is over I'll still have trigger warnings on specific chapters, but given that I'm writing and posting this roughly at the same time (which is something I don't normally do) there isn't as much advance warning for certain things. I would therefore highly recommend that when the next update for this comes out, double check the overall tags if you're worried about being triggered. There will be a shitload of mental and physical abuse in detail in the coming chapters, so I don't want to accidentally trigger someone who may skim over author's notes.


	23. The Trainer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: And we're back! Thank you guys so, so much for your patience, and I hope you guys enjoy where I take the story. Next update will be January 14th. And yes, I did change the title of Part II. As I began to work on it, this title made much more sense XD
> 
> I do want to apologize for the slight exaggeration on the warnings at the end of the last chapter. I had a long list of things I had intended to incorporate, but as I started writing it a lot of that stuff got canned. That's not to say that there are no new triggers in these new parts (which is now tagged!) but it's certainly not as strong as I implied. I can say that there will be no rape, although there is sexual harassment/noncon touching, but nothing I would classify as sexual assault or rape. I would say most of the new trigger-y stuff would be more emotional abuse-oriented, rather than as much physical violence.
> 
> **Trigger Warning:** This chapter contains scenes of sensory deprivation, emotional abuse, and physical abuse.

Part II: The Alpha's Gift

 

Chapter Twenty-Two – The Trainer

 

Yuri's mind was nothing but terror-induced white noise as he was led away. His screams for Otabek were answered with a betrayed silence, and Yuri watched him disappear from his life as quickly as he had come. He went willingly withe policeman, his head bowed, and when he slipped into the back seat of the cruiser, Yuri did not miss the glimmer of a tear streak the alpha's cheek.

“ _Beka..._ ” Yuri choked the word out softly as he was led to another police car. They handcuffed him and forced him into the back without a word, while Yuri tried to use his shoulder to mop the tears from his own face, but it wasn't very helpful. As he sat there, he watched the government official approach the policeman who had climbed into the driver's seat.

“Go to this address,” the man said, and pressed a piece of paper into the policeman's hand. “They have space for him. Tell the trainer, Bohuslav, that he is priority case. Pregnant omega, unmarked. I want him broken and back in a House as soon as is possible. His child is to be given up for adoption, out of country, no contact. Am I clear?”

“Yes, sir,” the policeman said, “Bohuslav, priority omega, pregnant, unmarked, broken, child to be adopted.”

“Exactly, good.”

“And what of the alpha?” the younger policeman asked curiously from the passenger side. He spat out the question in a rush, as though he knew that he shouldn't ask, but couldn't help himself. “I'm sorry, sir, I just...you said he would be going for re-education, but I have never heard of that.”

“Be thankful that you haven't,” the official said cryptically. “Many do not survive it. Go, I haven't all day to waste of these lowlifes.”

The older policeman grunted a quick, “yes, sir,” and rolled up the window before speeding off, and promptly began to argue with his partner in Ukrainian, presumably so that Yuri would not understand them.

Yuri shivered as the words of the official sunk in, an he felt mildly sick as he eased back into the seat with a small, despondent sigh, and sent up a prayer to any deity that might be listening that he might find the strength to get himself and his unborn child through this—and that Otabek, too, would find the strength to make it through this so-called _re-eductation_.

_Please,_ he thought, _whatever happens, please, just let me get out the other side to see Otabek again. And our child. I won't give up on them so easily. No matter how you got here, you're here, and I refuse to let you go._

Otabek's betrayed and heartbroken face floated into his mind's eye, and Yuri felt his eyes flood with tears again.

_Otabek is never going to forgive me..._

Outside, it began to snow. The overlarge flakes melted the second that they hit the car's window, and they trickled down the pane like tears.

 

_~*~_

 

Yuri had not known what to expect when he reached the retraining centre, but a single-storey redbrick building reminiscent of an elementary school or daycare certainly was not it.

The lawns were large and sprawling, but surrounded by high chain-link fence. They were clearly electrified, if the bright yellow signs were any indication, and the tops were garnished with coils of barbed wire. A few pieces of torn cloth clung to the razor-sharp edges, but Yuri pretended not to see them.

“Out,” grunted the policeman when he opened Yuri's door, and Yuri immediately shrunk back in the seat, his heartbeat increasing as he remembered with a panicked jolt why he was there.

“N-no, please...I can't be here, I need to find Otabek—”

“In a few weeks' time, your boyfriend will forget your name...and his own, probably,” the older policeman said with an annoyed huff. “Alpha re-education makes what you're going to go through look like a walk in the park. Get out of the fucking car; I haven't got all day, so _don't_ make me come in there after you.”

Yuri ignored him, and shuffled back against the opposite door. The officer visibly gritted his teeth, and reached in for the omega. He kicked at him, trying to avoid his grasp, but apparently this was not his first encounter with a wilful omega, and grabbed his ankle with little difficulty before he proceeded to drag Yuri from the vehicle.

“ _Nooo!_ ” Yuri wailed as he struggled against the hold, “ _please, let me go!_ ” He squirmed and thrashed, but it did no good as the officer dragged him across the seat, and he fell into the snow bank with a soft _flump_.

The policeman hefted Yuri to his feet without a word, and half-marched, half-dragged the fighting omega up to the doors, where he jammed his thumb against a buzzer roughly.

A speaker hidden somewhere in the door crackled to life, and Yuri momentarily paused in his fighting against the officer who held him to listen.

“ _Who is it?_ ”

“Officers Nevsky and Petrov,” the officer holding Yuri said, “we're looking for Bohuslav. We have Omega Yuri Plisetsky here for retraining, he's pregnant, a no-contact adoption is supposed to be enacted after he gives birth.”

“ _Leave it inside._ ”

The door buzzed, and the policemen obeyed without hesitation. They pushed the door open and shoved Yuri inside, then unlocked his handcuffs and left him there, slamming the door shut and turning their backs on him, hurrying back to the police car, and they drove off more than a little hastily.

Yuri did not waste time, but immediately grabbed hold of the door, and pulled. The lock refused to budge, and Yuri felt his panic begin to mount. His breath escaped him in little more than frightened pants, and regardless how hard he shook the door in its frame or tugged on it, he could not get free.

“First moment it is alone, and it tries to flee,” a calm, sickly sweet voice remarked, and Yuri whirled around.

Standing there was a tall, thin man in a suit. His red and grey hair had receded to his crown, and he was smiling happily at Yuri, like he was a welcome guest in his home. Something in the expression deeply chilled Yuri, and he took a nervous step back.

“Oh, no, no, no,” he said in that same sweet voice, “you will come with me, little beastly thing. We will train you up, and when you leave here, you will not recognize yourself. Come, come.”

Despite the welcoming, warm voice in which the man spoke, there was something distinctly cold about him. Yuri pressed his back to the door, and before he could think better of it, he pressed a palm to his abdomen protectively, which caused the man to chuckle warmly.

“Oh, yes, yes, we know all about _that_ ,” he said, “not to worry, the child will be raised by an alpha and omega pair, one we deem to be a respectable pair bond—none of this _equal rights_ business. You do not know your place yet, omega, but that is fine. Soon, you will.”

“I know my place,” Yuri growled as he narrowed his eyes at the man, “and it's not _below_ anyone.”

“Oh, how silly!” the man replied with a warm chuckle. “You silly, silly omegas with your silly, silly ideas. Not to worry, we'll soon put you right. Come with me now.”

Yuri felt his face burn with shame at the belittling tone, despite the fact that he was not much smaller than this man was. At the command however, Yuri pressed himself back against the door, his eyes narrowed at the man in anger, despite his fear.

“No way am I going anywhere with _you_ ,” he snarled, and the man chuckled again.

“Oh, it's so sweet when you omegas try to fight, it makes your time here so much more interesting,” the man chortled, “you mustn't keep your trainer waiting, however. That's _rude_. He is quite anxious to introduce you to someone, you see.”

“And who does he want to introduce me to?” Yuri asked, his tone cautious, but mildly curious. The man took a step closer, and Yuri pressed his back harder against the door.

“Yourself.”

Without warning the man lurched forward and closed a handcuff around Yuri's wrist. He yelped in surprise and jerked backward, but it was too late, and the cuff locked into place upon Yuri's wrist with a horrifying _click_ of finality.

“No, please, _please_ ,” Yuri begged as the man turned and began to drag him away, “ _please_ , I won't run, I'll go back to Beka and be good, and let him mark me, just please, _don't do this_.” Yuri's voice was close to tears as he dug his heels into the linoleum and tried to stop the man from forcing him deeper into the building, but to no avail, and his boots slid across the smooth tile as though he were in nothing more than a pair of woollen socks.

“Oh no, no, no,” the man replied in the same sing-song, cheerful voice as he forced Yuri away from the front exit and down a narrow hallway. “No, Mr Altin is even more guilty than you are, my sweet. I do not think it would be wise to ever release him, his name holds too much political sway, and now he is reaping what he has sown by trying to help in changing our ways. Someone in his position should know better.”

“Some—someone _in his position_?”

“Oh, yes,” replied the man cheerfully, “yes, the Altin family emigrated here many, many years ago from Kazakhstan, and goodness me, his father _knew_ how an omega was supposed to be treated. Otabek was to inherit the family estate— _billions_ of roubles, mind you, but then a business partner of his noticed the systematic deprogramming of his beliefs, all to accommodate one thing— _you_. We have been watching Mr Altin for months, and when his former staff came to us with their concerns, why, we had to act. It is still quite shocking than an omega would have the capabilities to manipulate an alpha in such a way. Of course, there have been no studies done in this country on the mental acuity of an omega—no point to study something so simple, which is why your actions surprised us so much. Who knew omegas were capable of such strategic thought processes! But, in the end, your little mind was focused only on small motivations, and now that you're here, and now we'll put your right. None of this _thinking for yourself_ nonsense. What are alphas for, if not to lead you by the hand and take care of you while he breeds you?”

“You're sick,” Yuri hissed as he tugged at the handcuff binding his wrist, but it did nothing to slow the man's movements. “People shouldn't belong to people, you're no better than I am. In fact, you're worse...”

“Oh, naughty, naughty, speaking ill of your superiors!” the man teased with a hearty laugh. “Not to worry, I will be sure to report that to your trainer...”

He continued to lead Yuri down the long, almost seemingly endless hall, until at last they arrived at the second-to-last door, and with another frightened wail, Yuri was dragged inside.

It was black inside the room, making it impossible for Yuri to see whether it was big or small. He felt the cold steel of the handcuff leave him, and his arm fell slack against his side. Yuri felt sick, and the nausea and dizziness nearly overwhelmed him as he stood there. He reached out and his fingers brushed across a cold wall, but it did not help to settle his equilibrium like he hoped that it would. Distantly, he heard the low murmur of voices, but they were too soft for Yuri to discern the words.

_There is a third person in here with us,_ Yuri thought, and his heart rate seemed to triple in an instant. The trainer was here—he had been waiting for them.

A narrow rectangle of white light from the hall briefly illuminated the space, but not enough for Yuri to see much of anything. The floor was some sort of false hardwood, and that was all that the omega saw before the door snapped shut and he was engulfed in both silence and darkness.

“H-hello?” Yuri asked after a moment, but he received no response. “Is—is anyone there?”

Suddenly, he felt hot breath on the back of his neck, and he jumped. Yuri scrambled forward with a soft yelp, and he ended up colliding with the wall in his haste. It was hardly enough to seriously injure him, but it still hurt.

A cool, rough hand touched the back of Yuri's neck, and he felt the breath again, this time, on his cheek. Yuri froze and clenched his eyes shut, just as he heard the distinct mechanical _whirr_ of something, like a camera lens coming into focus. Yuri turned, and he gasped sharply as he saw the green glint of two enormous, bulbous eyes staring back at him. A scream bubbled up in his throat, but before it escaped him, a rational part of his mind scrabbled to the surface.

_Not a monster. Night-vision goggles_.

Yuri felt himself relax, if only slightly.

“ _Who are you?_ ” a deep, unsettling voice asked suddenly, while the cold hand wrapped gently around Yuri's throat. It did not squeeze, but merely held him still. The voice paired with the familiar touch made Yuri's panic worse, and for a long moment he could not find his voice.

“Y-Yuri Plisetsky,” Yuri finally answered, his voice badly shaking from his bone-deep fright.

The hand at his throat tensed slightly, and that was all the warning he got before something hard collided painfully with his cheek, making him see stars.

“ _Who are you?_ ” the voice repeated, in the same monotonous way, without any change whatsoever.

“Yuri Plisetsky,” Yuri repeated, and gasped in pain as he was struck again.

“ _Who are you?_ ”

“Yuri Plisetsky.” Another painful strike.

“ _Who are you?_ ”

_What does he want me to say?_ Yuri wondered miserably, his cheek aching where he'd been hit, and it felt very much like the bone might break soon if this kept up.

“ _Who are you?_ ” he repeated. When Yuri did not answer, the man's voice finally changed when he chuckled. It was not warm or welcoming, but was cold and cruel.

“ _Exactly,_ ” the trainer said, “ _you are no one. Say it._ ”

“No,” Yuri protested, “I _am_ someone, I— _ah!_ ” Yuri gasped as he was struck again. The hand at his throat tensed slightly, cutting off his air supply for less than a second, and Yuri understood the unspoken threat all too well.

“ _You are no one_ ,” the man repeated, “ _say the words, and I will let you go._ ”

“You know who is no one?” Yuri asked rhetorically, “ _you_.”

Yuri gritted his teeth as he was hit again, and he could not help but marvel at the control in the move. It was blindingly painful, yes, but terrifying—the man knew _just_ how much pressure to hit with to stop himself from doing any sort of permanent damage to Yuri, while getting his point across without trouble.

_Scary_ did not even begin to cover it.

“ _You are no one,_ ” the voice repeated, “ _say it, omega._ ”

“Fuck you,” Yuri spat, and hissed as he was hit again.

 

It continued.

It felt like hours, but it was possible that it could not have been more than a handful of minutes. The trainer would prompt Yuri, and Yuri would respond with a snide remark, or silence, to which the man would answer by hitting him again. Soon, his statements and prompts began to change, making it clear what he wanted Yuri to say, but still, Yuri refused to bend.

“ _You are an omega. You have nothing but what we give to you. The only reason I have not dropped you to the ground and dug my boot into your gut is because of what an_ alpha _implanted into you. You are nothing without that. Say it._ ”

“No, I'm not beneath _anyone_...” Yuri protested, and gasped when the answer was met with a slap across the cheek.

“ _Your place is beneath us. We made you what you are. Do as I say, and say it—you are no one; you are nothing.”_

Yuri tried a different tactic, and answered with silence, and the hand at his throat squeezed, this time cutting off Yuri's breath until he gasped, then he let go.

“ _You are the tool and we are your masters. Without alphas, you are empty, worthless, literally the void of nothingness. Knowing that, tell me what you are, omega.”_

Yuri clenched his eyes shut, but the darkness did not change. He bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself quiet, but when he felt something cold and smooth brush his cheek—something metal. Startled, his eyes snapped open as he was struck again, and he bit down too hard on his own flesh, causing him to taste blood.

“ _Tell me, omega,_ ” the trainer commanded, his voice never wavering from the even calm and apparently endless patience he seemed to possess, “ _you are nobody; you are nothing; and your voice is as important to the winds of change as a feeble autumn breeze against winter's fierce chill. Your cries are the whimpers of a wilful child. Repeat with me; you are the dog, and we are your masters.”_

“No,” Yuri protested, his voice hoarse after so long in the dark little room. He hissed in pain when he felt blunt nails dig into the sides of his throat, but they did not break the skin.

“ _Our hands shape you_ ,” the trainer said, as though he was unbothered by Yuri's protest, “ _our minds drive you. Your thoughts are empty, your mind is not your own. The only thing we care about is the gift an alpha gave to you. The gift you_ stole _from Otabek Altin. Isn't that right, omega? You are so foul that he could not bear to use you for your true and only purpose, and you had to_ steal _it from him; you had to trick him.”_

“No, it wasn't like that!” Yuri protested, tears springing to his eyes as he cried out, but the trainer ignored him as he continued his venomous speech.

“ _Your protests tell me that you already know the truth._ ” Yuri could hear a smirk in his voice, despite still being incapable of seeing his face. “ _Why do you resist, omega? You had to use deception to get him to give you value at all. He chose you out of pity, and now you are here in the dark, with me, because you have forgotten your place. Your life is nothing, no one values you—not me, not Otabek,_ no one _. Now tell me, omega, what are you?”_

Tears trickled down Yuri's cheeks, and he shut his eyes. One of his free hands strayed to his abdomen, untouched during the assault. If the trainer spotted the action, he did not remark on it. Yuri took a slow breath as he weighed his options. This time, the trainer gave him time to think, and did not immediately hit him for his silence. Yuri took a small, shaking breath, and pushed back his pride in favour of self-preservation.

“I...I am no one.”

 


	24. Retraining

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next update will be January 21st. This one's a bit shorter than I'd intended, but I hope you guys enjoy it all the same :)
> 
> **Trigger Warning:** This chapter contains scenes of emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual assault, and sequences of slut-shaming.

Chapter Twenty-Three – Retraining

 

The moment the words tumbled out of Yuri's mouth, laughter filled the room. It was a victorious laugh, but still chilling to hear, and it made Yuri feel positively sick to his stomach.

The trainer finally let go of Yuri's throat, and the omega tumbled to the ground in a heap. His body shook with exhaustion, but apparently the trainer was not yet finished with him.

Now-familiar rough fingers brushed under his chin, forcing his gaze up into the blackness, and aside from the faint shine of the night-vision goggles, Yuri saw nothing.

“Remove your clothing, omega.”

“Wh-what?”

“Are my words too difficult for your small, simple, omega mind to comprehend?” the trainer asked mockingly, and Yuri felt his face burn with shame. “Your clothing. Take it off— _now_.”

Yuri hugged himself, and jerked away from the hand holding his gaze up. At the same moment, he yelped as an open palm struck his inflamed cheek.

“Take _off_ your clothing,” the trainer ordered, “or I will hit you again.”

With shaking hands, Yuri forced himself to comply. He stripped off his jacket, his hoodie, T-shirt, jeans, underwear, shoes, and socks. He dropped it all into a pile on the ground, and stood in darkness before the man, shivering minutely.

At the same moment, a number of heaters rattled to life with a loud _thunk_ , and Yuri gasped as his naked body was enveloped in a warm, comforting wind. Despite the warmth, but it did not take away from his unsettling feeling of exposure, though the darkness was still more or less concealing him.

“You are only what we give you, omega,” the trainer said softly, but firmly. “You will learn this the hard way, but we do not wish to kill the alpha's gift with cold. You must learn that without us, you are nothing. This is your first lesson.”

Without another word, Yuri listened to the man gather up his clothes, then he turned and left without another word.

Yuri took a small step back, shivering despite the warmth of the space he found himself in. His heel collided with something soft, and with a small yelp, he fell back onto what felt like a futon mattress, complete with a thin blanket and pillow.

_This is more than I expected..._ Yuri thought, his fingers brushing over the soft mattress and blanket, feeling out its dimensions without the benefit of his sight. _Why would they give me so much? When I first heard about Foster Alphas, I was always told that they were monsters. Even though he hit me over and over..._

Yuri froze.

_Why am I thinking about him so kindly, so fast?_ Yuri wondered, his breath hitching as he began to panic, _why don't I hate him?_

Yuri lifted his hands to his hair as tears sprung to his eyes. He felt dizzy with confusion, and he sniffled pathetically as he tried to get a handle on his surging emotions.

With no window to tell Yuri what time it was, he had no idea if it was even close to sunset. However, his encounter with the police and then the trainer had exhausted him, and he lay down on the futon with a small sigh of defeat. His fingers tangled through the thin blanket as he stared into the darkness, his eyes sliding out of focus as his varied attempts to see into the black was beginning to make his head pound.

_Maybe I've gone blind and no one's told me..._ he thought idly, but even as it crossed his mind, he knew that it wasn't true. He could recall seeing the strips of light when the trainer and the man who met him came and went, along with the distinctive, horrifying glint of the trainer's night-vision goggles.

Yuri buried his face in the mattress to stifle his sobs. The action made his face ache, and one of his hands compulsively brushed over his flat stomach again.

_I'm so afraid,_ Yuri thought as his tears dampened the soft fabric. _Beka, will you even want me after I get out of here? Will you hate me for losing our child to some faceless adoptive parents?_

“ _...you are barred from seeing Yuri Plisetsky or your unborn child for the remainder of your lives..._ ”

_That's right,_ he thought with a small jolt, _I'm not allowed to see him again._ His hands tensed around the blanket, and Yuri bunched it up before drawing it to his chest like a child might cling to a treasured toy. _I don't care. Somehow, I'll find him again and he can tell me to my face whether or not he really hates me._

“My alpha,” Yuri whispered sleepily, “I'll find you...”

The excitement and terror of the day finally exhausted him, and Yuri slipped into a fitful sleep.

 

~*~

 

Yuri woke with a shriek.

The water was ice-cold, and the shock of being roused by being drenched snapped him awake in an instant, and he sat there, wide eyed and trembling violently as his mind tried to catch up with what had happened. Yuri did not move beyond sitting up, and he stared wide-eyed into the darkness, trying to see where the water had come from.

“ _It's awake,_ ” the trainer sneered, and Yuri's shivers suddenly were not simply from cold. “ _Would you like a towel, omega?_ ”

“Y-yes,” Yuri replied shakily, his mind far too fogged-up by waking up and cold to even bother trying for some sort of resistance.

“ _Yes what?_ ”

“Yes...please?” Yuri ventured, and cried out when his aching face was truck by an open hand. He tried again. “Yes, uh...Alpha?” No pain followed, and Yuri relaxed a little.

“ _Who are you_?” the trainer asked, and this time, Yuri knew the answer.

“No one.”

“ _Good boy.”_

A warm, fluffy towel enveloped him, and Yuri shivered as the trainer dried him, he yanking the towel from the omega's hands every time he tried to take it and dry himself. Eventually Yuri got the message, and bowed his head as he was dried off.

“ _Are you hungry, little one?_ ” the trainer asked, but made it obvious that he was not talking to Yuri from the way he rested his palm against the omega's abdomen, and he fought the urge to shiver at the alien touch. “ _Let us see if Mama has learned his lesson. Omega, who are you?”_

“No one,” Yuri answered immediately, just as his stomach gurgled audibly. The trainer chuckled, and took his hand. He pressed an item into each palm, and without the benefit of his eyes, it took him a moment to realize that the items were a bread roll and a bottle of liquid—water, Yuri supposed.

Yuri did not hesitate, and bit into the bread. He could taste that it was studded with seeds and dried fruit—citrus and cranberries and sunflower seeds, and the bread itself had a sour, but not unpleasant taste to it, like rye or sourdough. The liquid seemed to be flavoured water, and tasted faintly of lemon.

“ _All enriched with everything the alpha's gift needs,_ ” the trainer said, filling the silence as he caressed Yuri's stomach with terrifyingly gentle touches, and Yuri struggled to keep from lurching away from the contact. “ _We mustn't hurt the baby. Remember, Omega, that is all anyone cares about. The alpha gave you a great gift, and your importance remains only as long as you carry that inside you. Once the child is born, we do not care about your body—it is forfeit, and the real training will begin._ ”

“R-real training?” Yuri asked before he could think better of it, but the trainer did not elaborate, but instead allowed the silence to stretch on. Yuri bit his lip and tried to back away a little, but in a moment the trainer's hand was at his throat, and Yuri froze.

“ _We've been going very easy on you, Omega,_ ” the trainer purred, “ _let's just put it that way._ ”

Yuri shivered.

“ _Is it cold?_ ” the trainer asked in the same soft, purring tone, and Yuri felt his face burn with shame, only just remembering his nakedness. He crossed his arms compulsively across his chest, and the trainer laughed. “ _Would it like some clothing?_ ”

_He wants me to say yes, then he'll make me say or do something humiliating in order to get it,_ Yuri thought with a small frown, _it's how these people operate. I_ want _to say yes, but I can't._

Almost immediately, Yuri cried out as a hand collided with his cheek. It was not a gentle tap, and made his old injuries from the day before ache. A hand moved up to cup his cheek, and the trainer laughed again.

“ _Do not think, Omega,_ ” the trainer commanded. “ _I can see the cogs in your mind trying to form thought, but your brain cannot compare with that of an alpha. We think for you, have you already forgotten that?_ ”

Yuri clenched his teeth as he forced himself to keep himself from answering, and cried out as he was struck again.

“ _Omega!_ ” he barked, making Yuri jump, “ _answer me._ ”

“I don't want anything from _you,_ ” Yuri snarled, and immediately tensed, bracing to be hit. Though it did not shock him this time, the pain still made him cry out as he accidentally bit into the inside of his cheek, and he tasted blood.

“ _Fine,_ ” the trainer said with a chuckle, and Yuri yelped again as he felt one of the trainer's large hands fall to his bare waist. Yuri tried to jump away from the offending limb, but the trainer merely tightened his hold on him. “ _I cannot say that I am surprised...after your manipulations to get Otabek Altin to take you to bed...only such a whore would be perfectly comfortable wandering around without a stitch on..._ ”

Though Yuri still could not see the trainer, he heard the soft shuffle of his feet across the floor, and he felt his hot breath tickle across his cheek. The hand moved to his back, pressing a hard, muscled arm to his waist, and he staggered as he was drawn close. Yuri's breath hitched and tears sprung to his eyes as he tensed, uncertain whether struggling would lead to being hit again.

“ _You are so tense, little whore,_ ” the trainer said in a soft and teasing tone of voice, “ _don't you_ like _this?Any alpha will do for a slut like you, right?_ ”

The man's hand trailed down to Yuri's ass, and cupped the muscle with terrifying tenderness. Yuri's breath caught again, and he whimpered, pulling back from the embrace feebly before he could think better on it, and was hit across the face again.

“ _I did not give you permission to go, Omega,_ ” the trainer warned, “ _a good omega shuts up and lets an alpha have their way. Don't you want to be a good little omega for whichever alpha properly claims you? You're more popular than I expected, we've already got a few prominent local alphas making bids on you. Surprising, for one like_ you _. You couldn't pay me to touch you willingly, but this is my job, and we must all make sacrifices, and damaged omegas just make me sick to my stomach..._ ”

“I...I'm not damaged,” Yuri muttered feebly, and felt his face burn at the soft tone with which he spoke.

_I was never this feeble-minded with Beka_ , Yuri thought in a panic, _how is he breaking me down so easily?_

“ _You are,_ ” the trainer said, dragging Yuri from his fearful thoughts, “ _what else might one call one such as you? You whored yourself to total strangers in order to stay free of a House, and then your alpha was so sickened by you that he could not bear to touch you, and it was only through_ your _manipulations that he broke down and fucked you. You are worse than the lowest dog, Omega._ ”

As the trainer spoke, he began to massage Yuri's ass cheeks gently. He pulled them apart and squished them together tenderly, touching him as a lover might while he hissed the poisonous words into Yuri's ear. Yuri felt positively sickened with himself for allowing this stranger to touch him like this, so overwhelmed in that moment that he did not even think to ask him _how_ he knew that Yuri had been a prostitute—or if maybe it had been a lucky guess.

Tears bean to streak Yuri's face before he could stop them, and with an unnervingly warm chuckle, the trainer moved his hands to wipe the omega's cheeks, making Yuri shiver.

“ _You are so cold, Omega,_ ” he said softly, “ _I can see you shiver. Tell me what you are, and I will give you something to wear._ ”

“I am not cold,” Yuri replied, and grimaced at the soft, feeble quality of his voice. “I'm—I'm afraid.”

“ _Why are you afraid, Omega?_ ” the trainer purred, and Yuri flinched as he kissed his injured cheek. “ _Is it that you finally understand your place, beneath us?_ ”

“I...” Yuri winced again when his cheek was kissed once more, and he inhaled shakily.

“ _You feel it, don't you?_ ” the trainer asked softly, “ _you know it. You are built_ for _us. To carry our children, to accept us into your body, to be_ ours _. You know it's true, Omega._ ”

“No,” Yuri replied, and despite his attempt to speak in a hard tone of voice, the protest escaped him breathlessly. Yuri felt his voice catch, and he whimpered.

“ _Yes, Omega,_ ” the trainer said, “ _you are ours. Our mates, our property. You have no purpose but that which we give you. You are no one. You know this, you have said it yourself. Say it again, and I will gift you with some semblance of dignity._ ”

“I...” Yuri shivered as the trainer traced the cleft of his ass. “I am...no one.”

“ _Good, Omega,_ ” the trainer praised, and pressed something into Yuri's hands. It was soft and elastic, and it took a moment of blind feeling to realize that it was a pair of boxer-briefs.

Grateful for the clothing, Yuri tugged the garment on.

“ _Say it again, Omega,_ ” the trainer commanded, and Yuri rotated his shoulders to swallow his shame as he braced himself to speak.

“I am no one.”

“ _Good boy_.” He rested another article of clothing into Yuri's hands, a pair of drawstring lounge pants this time. Yuri pulled them on. “ _Again._ ”

“I am no one,” Yuri said, and he was gifted with a pair of socks.

“ _Again._ ”

“I am no one,” he replied, and he was given a baggy T-shirt.

“ _Once more, Omega._ ”

“I am no one,” Yuri said without even the slightest tremor in his voice. The words came more easily, and they did not sound untrue anymore. A hooded sweatshirt was pressed into his hands, and his fingers tightened over the fabric for a moment before he tugged it on as he allowed his mind to wander. Really, what sort of life was he really giving himself in fighting so hard? Was being _free_ really worth all the pain, all the torment? He had not seen the light of day in nearly forty-eight hours, all because he couldn't accept the life he had been given.

_And look where it got me,_ Yuri thought as the trainer stroked his cheek and praised him. _I hurt Beka, and myself, and probably our unborn child too. If I keep this up and miscarry, what will happen to me? Is it selfish to think that way?_

Yuri clenched his eyes shut, but a tear still managed to slip out and streak his cheek.

If the last few days were any indication, the next few months would be hard, and Yuri no longer knew if he would be able to survive them, but he had to—not just for himself, but for Otabek and their child, too.

Somehow, Yuri would get back to him. Regardless how impossible it seemed, Yuri knew that he would do it. He'd managed the impossible before, and even now, as the stranger touched his face, dried his tears, and purred poisonous words into his ear, Yuri _knew_ that this was all temporary, a fleeting moment of terror. One day, he would find his Otabek again, and his family would be complete once more.

 


	25. Survival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: As of next week I will be back in school. While this shouldn't affect my updates at all, the date of posting might change again. So for right now, the next update will be January 26th, although it is subject to change, it will for sure not be any later than that.
> 
>  **Trigger Warning:** This chapter contains scenes of sexual assault, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and implied/referenced human euthanasia.

Chapter Twenty-Four – Survival

 

As time passed and his incarceration under the tyrannical rule of the trainer extended, Yuri began to truly believe that he had gone blind.

Perhaps they had done something to mess up his eyes, Yuri guessed, or poisoned him, but as Yuri tried to keep track of the days, he never saw a thing, save the occasional glint of his trainer's night vision goggles—which Yuri was beginning to believe it was actually a hallucination of some kind.

Yuri was only aware of the passage from one day to the next by the slow but steady progression of his pregnancy. First, in the form of deep hunger, satiated by the bread and vitamin water he was fed, and second by a near-constant nausea that made it difficult to keep anything down. Every time he vomited his trainer would punish him painfully, and by the middle of his second trimester, six of his fingers were in splints, for his trainer had decided that the most ideal form of punishment for his mess was breaking his fingers, rather than make him eat his own vomit—bad for the Alpha's Gift, he would say.

Yuri thanked his trainer with every new injury he gifted him with, as he wept through the excruciating pain.

 

Time was meaningless to the omega, who lay in darkness and silence, and tried to remember who he was in between session with his trainer. Saline tear tracks clung to his cheeks, and he no longer bothered to brush them away. His name was harder and harder to remember, worse after a session where he was addressed solely as _Omega_ , and was forced to repeat over and over the mantra, _I am no one_.

He brushed a hand across his belly, which was now distinctly rounded. He sniffled, and stroked the skin like one might caress a beloved pet.

_I will survive this, for you. My precious child. Regardless what they might say to my alpha, regardless what they try to make me believe, you protect me as much as I want to protect you. Somehow, I'll make sure that they don't take you away from me._

Yuri hoped that the growing fœtus could not hear the doubt in his thoughts.

 

~*~

 

A slamming door woke the omega.

 _Yuri,_ he thought to himself, _I am Yuri Plisetsky. My grandfather's name is Nikolai, and my alpha is Otabek Altin. My best friends are Minami Kenjirou and Yuuri Katsuki._

The mantra rang through his head like an automated message. It had not changed in the months since he had begun it, but it no longer felt wholly accurate in his own mind.

When he woke, it was to nothing. The room was still black as pitch, and though still terrifying in many ways, he also felt as though his hearing had improved because of it.

The moment the belief materialized in his mind however, a hand ghosted across his thigh, and Yuri whimpered meekly, for he had not heard the trainer approach.

“Please...” Yuri whispered softly before he could think better of it, “please, don't...”

The moment the words slipped past his lips, a hand closed around one of his injured fingers, and tugged it back, making him cry out in pain.

“ _You know better, Omega,_ ” the trainer murmured over Yuri's whimpers, his sour breath brushing over Yuri's cheek as he spoke, “ _who are you?_ ”

“N-no one. I am no one.”

“ _Who owns you?_ ”

“My alpha.”

“ _Do you have an alpha?_ ”

“No.”

“ _Why not?_ ”

“B-because I am a whore omega, and I manipulated my alpha into touching me. I used my heat to trick him. Omegas like me do not deserve the attention of an alpha.”

“ _Good, Omega._ ”

A hand fell to his hair, now a few inches past his shoulders, and the trainer stroked him like a cat.

“ _You have changed so much in so little time, Omega,_ ” the trainer said approvingly, and Yuri felt his insides tingle with pleasure at the warm praise. “ _Do you know how long you have been here? A mere seven months. One like you usually takes_ years _to properly break, but you learnt how an omega must conduct themselves in so short a time._ ”

“Alpha Otabek tried to train me,” Yuri offered in a small and meek tone of voice, and he prayed that he would not be punished for his brazenness. “But I did not wish to listen. Do you think his methods had something to do with it?”

“ _It is possible, Omega,_ ” the trainer said as he continued to stroke his hair, “ _his methods were heavy-handed, yes, but if you had not bewitched him, perhaps you would not be here now._ ”

 _And if you knew the truth of how little your so-called_ methods _have affected me, I'd never leave_ , Yuri thought, but did not allow his anger to show on his face as he leant into the touch with a soft catlike purr. He shut his eyes, though it made no difference, and acted as though there was nowhere in the world that he'd rather be.

A soft rustling sounded, and Yuri shivered a little as the trainer lay down with him, and spooned at his back. Immediately the trainer struck him sharply, and Yuri hissed as his face seemed to explode with pain, and he lifted a hand to his cheek as he tried to keep from crying out, though a string of pained whimpers still managed to slip past his lips.

“ _You must always welcome the touch of your alpha, Omega,_ ” the trainer chastised, “ _you know that._ ”

“I'm sorry, Alpha,” Yuri said softly, and forced his body to still as he lay down again, and pressed one hand to the small swell of his stomach. “I...forgot myself.”

“ _It is only the gift of Alpha Otabek that saves you from a proper punishment, Omega,_ ” the trainer reminded him as he pushed up Yuri's shirt and caressed his bare stomach. “ _Remember that._ ”

“Thank you, Alpha Otabek,” Yuri whispered aloud, and his trainer chuckled softly.

“ _Yes, good boy._ ”

 

For what felt like hours the trainer held him, childlike, and stroked the swell of Yuri's belly. As he did so, he whispered poisonous words into Yuri's ear, while Yuri struggled to remind himself of the untruth of them.

“ _We are beginning to narrow down the list of candidates for your adoption,_ ” he purred, and Yuri bit his lip to stifle a whine of anguish. His hands tensed into fists as he struggled to keep still. “ _I have some applicants coming in as far away as India, New Zealand, Canada, Thailand...even a few local petitioners within the city and surrounding areas. Not to worry, regardless what your child is born as—alpha, omega, or beta—it will know its place, just as you are now learning_ your _place. Do you remember your place, Omega?_ ”

“My place...is where an alpha tells me to be,” Yuri mumbled, his voice shaking a little with disgust at himself as he spoke.

 _I don't believe it,_ Yuri thought fiercely as he clenched his eyes shut. _No matter how broken they think I am, I know that that isn't true. I am worth more than my ability to reproduce._

“ _Good, Omega,_ ” the trainer praised, and Yuri felt himself shiver, this time with pride at the trainer's extolment. “ _Yes indeed, your place_ is _wherever an alpha wishes it to be. So if they want you on your back, or on the floor, or in their bed, or at their dinner table, it is right. You are as important to us as a household appliance, or book on a shelf—you are there for us to use, at our discretion._ ”

Yuri fought a shudder at the painful words. To be viewed with the same respect as a toaster made him feel sick to his stomach. He knew he was more than that—wasn't he? Had he not spent the last months vehemently reminding himself that he _did_ have worth? Was it true? Was he worthless after all?

 _No, I'm not_ , Yuri thought fiercely as he tried to block out the words of the trainer. _I have worth. Otabek cares for me, and I'll get to him again...somehow._

“ _We also have people beginning to line up, so to speak, for_ you _,_ ” the trainer continued, his hand trailing down Yuri's side as he spoke, finally resting on Yuri's ass, and he gave it a firm squeeze. Yuri did his best to suppress a shiver of disgust at the familiar touch. “ _A few local alphas who know of you, and even one who has an omega harem licence...I think the harem life would be best for you, don't you agree? You can slut your ass around all you want...isn't that what you like, Omega?”_

Yuri bit his lip and bowed his head, and did not answer. The hand cupping his ass squeezed harder, to the point where it was almost painful.

“ _I asked you a question, Omega,_ ” the trainer said with a sickly false kindness, and Yuri whimpered. “ _The polite thing to do would be to answer me. Would the harem life suit you?_ ”

“Yes,” Yuri replied brokenly, a sob in his voice, “yes, Alpha, it would.”

The alpha planted a kiss to the side of Yuri's throat, and again he struggled with the urge to shiver.

“ _Good boy._ ”

 

~*~

 

Yuri woke to noise.

He did not know what time it was, or even what day it was, and he was surprised to find himself alone.

 _Where is Alpha?_ Yuri wondered, his stomach turning over with nervousness, then he shook his head violently. _No, no, the trainer. Not Alpha._

The sound increased, and Yuri realized that it was coming from outside. He had never heard external noise before, and it took him a moment to work through his surprise enough to shift from his mattress and feel his way over to the door, where he pressed his ear to the wood, and listened.

“ _This is such bullshit!_ ” the trainer cried, “ _we can't move him now, I'm not finished with him yet, and he is still weeks away from giving birth!_ ”

“ _This is not my call, Bohuslav!_ ” yelled the other person, “ _these are orders from above. Omega Yuri Plisetsky is to be moved to another retraining facility in St. Petersburg. Trainer Popovich will be picking him up in two weeks, and so we need to begin reintroducing him to light. They were quite adamant that we do it slowly, so as to not mess up his sight.”_

“ _Did you mention that pulling omegas out of retraining to set them up with another trainer almost always yields poorer results?”_ his trainer asked. “ _We may as well euthanize him.”_

“ _Don't be ridiculous, Bohuslav,”_ the other man admonished. “ _You know that this country no longer culls its omegas. Even a broken toy has its uses. Go, don't make me tell you twice.”_

Yuri listened to the trainer stomp off, grumbling the whole way. He inched back from the door and stood slowly. With one hand resting protectively on his baby bump, Yuri padded quietly back to his mattress and laid down on his side.

 _So I'm being moved,_ Yuri thought as he clenched his eyes shut. _Why? Was it my fault? Or was it something Alp—the trainer did? Would it be safe to try and run like this? What if I fall and hurt the baby?_

Yuri shivered, and tears stung his eyes. He didn't know what to do. He rubbed his hand across the small swell of his stomach. It was so much smaller than he remembered Yuuri's to be. He didn't know if that was good or bad.

 _My absolute top priority is protecting this child,_ Yuri thought as his fingers tensed against his belly. _No matter what, I will not fail them. I know that somehow, we will get out of here, and I will find your father, and_ we _will watch you grow up. Not some stranger._

A faint flutter in Yuri's stomach of gentle movement, and he smiled.

“Don't worry, baby,” Yuri whispered as softly as he dared, “I will keep you safe.”

 

An hour after Yuri had nodded off, he was awoken abruptly to the sound of the door of his room slamming open. Even through his shut eyelids the dim light of the hall made his eyes ache, and he let out a whine as he tried to shield his gaze from it. Another crash and the light disappeared as Yuri sat up, shaking a little from shock while he listened to his trainer huff with annoyance.

“ _Get up, Omega,_ ” he snapped, the anger and impatience in his tone making Yuri even more nervous than usual.

 _What did I do?_ Yuri wondered as he stood up as quickly as he could, and a wave of dizziness washed over him as he tried to reign in his panic. _Why is he angry with me?_

 _Wait, no, no,_ Yuri shook his head a little, _this is not my fault. He's just mad because I'm being moved. Even if he blames me for this, it's not my fault._

Yuri wished he could believe it.

“ _Show me your hands, Omega,_ ” the trainer commanded, and Yuri extended the requested limbs towards the sound of the trainer's voice without question. He grimaced as he pawed at four of the broken fingers, and removed the splints from two of them.

“ _Does this hurt, Omega?_ ” he asked, bending the fingers he'd freed roughly, and Yuri winced as the stiff digits ached dully.

“A little, Alpha,” he replied, then tensed, bracing himself for pain, and was shocked when none came. Instead he released Yuri's hands and jammed something against his face, and it took Yuri a moment to realize that it was a pair of some sort of glasses. Yuri was almost tempted to ask what they were for, but curbed the impulse, instead choosing to bow his head and wait for whatever training was to come during this session.

_Click._

A dim light filtered through tiny pinholes in the blackout glasses, and Yuri squinted as his eyes stung.

“Alpha, what...?” Yuri broke off abruptly as he remembered the conversation he'd overheard.

“ _Trainer Popovich will be picking him up in two weeks, and so we need to begin reintroducing him to light.”_

_Oh._

“ _We are to prepare you for transport,_ ” the trainer said sourly, and dropped something near Yuri's bed with a loud albeit familiar clatter. Without another word the trainer turned and stormed from the room, leaving the light on, and slamming the door so hard it almost felt as though the room shook from it.

Yuri dropped back down onto his mattress and pawed at the ground by his bed, scooping up the bottled water and now-familiar loaf of bread. He wanted to _look_ for it, and use his eyes for the first time in months, but staring into the dim light hurt, and still he was restricted to using his other senses to get around. He could not decide whether or not this was supposed to help him or yet another torture, but either way he did not even think to remove the glasses—something told him it would hurt more if he did.

Yuri bit into the seed-studded loaf, and chased down the large mouthfuls with the lemon-flavoured water. As he sat there, he tried to draw his legs to his chest, but his pregnant belly got in the way of him accomplishing the task. With a small sigh of defeat Yuri stretched out his legs again, and tried to look through the pinholes, only to grimace in pain again and look away from the tiny beams of light.

 _What is going to happen now?_ Yuri wondered as he took another bite of the loaf, ripping a chunk of it away from the whole with more ferocity than was probably necessary. _Another trainer...what is this Popovich like? Will he hurt me? Will he scare me? Will he really take my baby away?_

Yuri whimpered as he dropped his food and water, his appetite gone, and he wrapped his arms compulsively around his middle. The idea of losing this child was almost too much for Yuri to bear. When it happened— _if_ it happened, Yuri was quite certain he would truly break down.

“I promise to protect you, my child,” Yuri whispered, his voice weak as the water from his bottle gurgled out of the bottle, across the floor, and soaked into the mattress. “I won't let anyone ever hurt you, I swear it.”

A tear trickled from Yuri's eye, and he lifted a hand to wipe it away. The move caused him to dislodge the glasses, and the light that filtered in made his eyes sear painfully. Quickly, he fixed the glasses on his face, and returned his hands to his middle, almost as though he intended to rock his unborn child to sleep.

Sniffling, Yuri laid back down and clenched his eyes shut. Fantasies of Otabek, of their little family reunited filled his mind, and slowly lulled him to sleep.

 


	26. The Omega Liberation Front

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: For the foreseeable future (til about mid-May or so) I will be posting on Thursdays, so this is the LAST early update, and the next one will be on February 1st.

Chapter Twenty-Five – The Omega Liberation Front

 

A week after Yuri had been given the blackout glasses, they were swapped for a pair of sunglasses with a dark tint to them. He could see, and with them the overhead light in his room was as dim as twilight.

Regardless how dark Yuri's outlook on the world was (both figuratively and literally) however, after roughly seven and a half months, Yuri could _see_ again, and it felt like nothing short of a miracle.

After seeing the state of his living quarters with his own eyes however, Yuri almost wished that he couldn't.

It was a small and square room, and the fake hardwood was stained with old blood and black skids of rubber. His mattress was clean—technically—but like the floor it carried old stains, black and rust-coloured ones that Yuri did not wish to identify. The room spoke of how Yuri had very much dodged a proverbial bullet in terms of his treatment at the hands of his trainer, and as he gazed around at the space, Yuri rested a hand compulsively upon his baby bump.

_Thank you, baby,_ Yuri thought for what was likely the hundredth time, _you saved me._

Yuri was deeply grateful, and though his outlook was still grim, Yuri was more determined than ever that he _not_ let these monsters take his child away. He would repay his unborn child, and save them from a life of abandonment or neglect, of this he was certain.

_It's amazing, really,_ Yuri thought as he settled back down on his side, his hands still cradling the swell of his stomach, _how can I love someone that I've never met? But I still feel like I_ know _you, baby, and I will protect you, even if it kills me. I love you so damn much, and I know that your father will, too._

“I'll get back to you, Beka,” Yuri whispered, not wholly aware that he was even speaking aloud as he curled up on the mattress, and tried to sleep. “I swear, I will...”

 

~*~

 

Another week passed, and Yuri's glasses were swapped once more, this time for ones with a red tint to the lens. Even with the new frames light still made his eyes twinge painfully, and positively _ache_ without the protective lenses, but it was clear that they were improving, albeit much more quickly than Yuri had anticipated.

In that time, Yuri hardly saw his trainer. He was grateful, for that meant he did not need to expect any sort of painful punishments for his accidental verbal or physical slights, but the loneliness that this caused was difficult to manage, and Yuri began to almost _dream_ of the man coming in, even if it was just to insult him more.

 

One day—or night, it was still impossible for Yuri to tell what time it was—his trainer stormed into the room and all but threw his meal at him, making Yuri jump with surprise. His trainer's face was contorted with fury, a face Yuri could now see—fierce dark eyes, almost no neck, his head perched like an egg upon a body wide with muscle. He was a terrifying man in every sense of the word, and after seeing him, Yuri felt even less inclined to fight back.

The food Yuri caught deftly, and he wolfed down the bread and water like a man starved. It was the same hearty fare he'd grown accustomed to during his incarceration, but his trainer had come with it late today, and thus Yuri had scarfed it down so fast that his stomach cramped and protested the speed with which he ate.

The moment Yuri had finished, the trainer, his expression sour, stepped back and rapped one knuckle against the closed door of Yuri's room.

The door opened immediately to admit another person, presumably the new trainer he was being transferred to. Yuri swallowed nervously as he gazed up at him, physically as different to his current trainer as night and day.

The man was fair-skinned, with black hair and blue eyes. His hair was styled into a point, as though he'd tried for the sticking-up style so many young men bore, but somewhere along the way it became sharper and more geometric. He was thin, slender where his current trainer was bulky, and dressed in a suit of deep violet and black. Yuri could smell the reek of alpha scent coming off him, and he immediately curled an arm over his pregnant belly protectively.

“Oh, how sweet,” the newcomer rumbled in a deep, mocking voice, “he is so protective of his brood that he stole from the alpha.”

“ _They always are,_ ” his trainer agreed with a chortle, “ _nasty, thieving little whores._ ”

_I'm not a whore,_ Yuri thought, but did not dare to say it aloud. Some of his defiance must have shown on his face however, given how the two alphas began to laugh nastily.

“Seven, nearly eight months under your thumb, and he's still defiant!” the newcomer proclaimed, and his current trainer frowned at the new one.

“ _He is wilful, Popovich, don't give me this shit,_ ” Yuri's trainer said sourly. “ _S'not my fault that he's too stupid to submit to his superiors like he should._ ”

“He will if he doesn't want me to rip that squalling infant out of his belly prematurely,” the alpha, apparently called Popovich, said, and Yuri paled. His arms tightened over the swell of his pregnant stomach, and he shifted back incrementally.

“Y-you're not supposed to hurt my child,” Yuri protested softly, his protective maternal instincts eclipsing his self-preservation ones as he gazed up at the new alpha. Popovich smirked.

“You're past six months,darling. Your brood will survive on a ventilator just fine if it comes to that,” he said with a nauseatingly sweet tone of voice. “Just don't cross me, and we won't have to worry about it.”

Yuri bit his lip as he eyed the new alpha, trying to gauge whether he was exaggerating or not. His expression was blank, impassive, making it difficult to tell whether or not he was bluffing. Unnerved, Yuri dropped his gaze, but his arms were still tense and taut around his unborn child.

“Better,” Popovich said approvingly. “Up you get, darling, we got a long way to go.”

Yuri chanced a glance up, and saw Popovich smiling at him with the same false kindness, while the alpha curled the index finger of his right hand in a _come hither_ motion.

Yuri's mind was still clouded by protective instincts over his baby, and reluctantly he got up and moved over to him, despite how small his stomach was—at least compared to what Yuuri had looked like at this stage—his gait had still adopted a slight, albeit distinctive _pregnancy waddle_ , which made his face burn with embarrassment as the two alphas looked on and chortled at him.

Upon reaching the pair, Popovich took Yuri's wrists in a terrifyingly gentle grip, and began to pin them together as he unlatched a pair of shiny handcuffs from his belt. Yuri tensed.

“Please,” Yuri whispered, his feeble tone making him nauseous with shame, “please don't. I won't run—I _can't_ run like this...please don't cuff me.”

“Sorry, darling,” Popovich said, “I have no choice. It's this or a collar, which, as I understand it, you like even less.”

His current trainer chuckled at that, while Yuri felt his face burn with shame. Reluctantly, he allowed the man to pull his wrists together at his front, and cuff them together with a despairing _click_.

Shaking all over and hating his restriction of movement, impeding his ability to protect himself if needed. Yuri was offered a pair of boots, which he recognized as his own from when he arrived. Uncertain why he didn't give them to him _before_ his hands had been bound, Yuri decided it might be better to not ask, and slipped into them awkwardly before he reluctantly followed his new trainer out of the room.

The hall was just as long as Yuri remembered it to be, and deadly silent, save for the occasional sound of an omega weeping. It was unnerving.

“Hurry up,” the new trainer snapped suddenly, making Yuri jump. “I haven't got all day, and we have a _long_ way to go.”

Popovich smirked as he spoke, but it was less like the cold, sadistic amusement he'd familiarized himself with with his previous trainer. This time, it was more like he was in on a private joke that Yuri was not a part of.

_But what does it mean for me?_ Yuri wondered as he picked up his pace as best he could, but walking was still awkward at the best of times, what with his centre of gravity not in the same place where it used to be. _Will he hurt me or the baby? Or both? Will I really have any chance of running away like this?_

Popovich led Yuri out of the house, and outside it was warm. Summer.

Heat crept up Yuri's form, and his forehead became moist. Sweat dampened his back covered by the thin but warm three-quarter length sleeved shirt he was presently wearing, and his legs felt trapped and stuffy inside the lounge pants. His feet were positively stifling inside the winter boots, and Yuri just barely managed to bite back a moan of discomfort at how _hot_ it was outside.

A black sedan was waiting for them on the curb, and Popovich directed Yuri to the back seat of the vehicle before he circled to the driver's seat, where he started the ignition and locked all the doors with the press of a button. He then turned to Yuri and unlatched his handcuffs, exchanging them for a stack of clothing.

“Here,” he rumbled in a tone of voice that was almost kind. “You must be baking in those clothes. I promise I won't peek.”

He smiled, but Yuri did not return it as he accepted the clothes. They were fitted cutoff black jeans with an elastic maternity waistband, along with thin, breathable socks, canvas shoes, briefs, and two top options—a T-shirt or a tank top.

“Thank you, Alpha,” Yuri said robotically.

“Just call me Georgi,” Popovich replied as he offered Yuri a strange, kind smile, and turned to the wheel while he picked up a cell phone out of one of the cup holders. He pressed a button just below the radio, lifting a tinted glass screen between the driver's side and the back seat, giving Yuri a little more privacy to change. As Popovich drove down the street, Yuri took the opportunity to quickly change into the cooler clothes, opting as he did so for the T-shirt—he'd had more than enough of showing off more of his body than he really wanted to. At the same time, he heard the low rumble of Popovich speaking into a phone.

“Hi, it's me,” Popovich said as he drove, “the kitten is in the carrier. Is the airstrip ready?”

A small, tinny voice on the phone answered, and Yuri spotted Popovich smile in the rear view mirror as he cracked down the tinted screen, and upon seeing Yuri changed into the fresh clothing, he rolled it down the rest of the way.

“Excellent,” he said to the person on the other end of the line, “do you have the cub?” the voice responded with a faint _yes_. “Perfect. We'll be there shortly.”

Popovich hung up, and Yuri watched as he went a step further and switched the phone off entirely. At a stoplight, he took his hands off the wheel and pulled a roll of ordinary scotch tape from the glove compartment, and used a few small pieces to cover up the microphones upon the phone, then flicked off all the Bluetooth and WiFi capabilities of the vehicle. He then looked up, and caught Yuri's eye in the mirror.

“I'm sorry for the show back there, Yuri,” he said consolingly, and strangely, it sounded as though he meant it, too. “But I have been infiltrating the system for over ten years, and I have an image to maintain. I promise that I do not plan to do any of the things I said back there, it was just to get you away from the trainers.”

Yuri blinked, and stared.

_It was a front?_

_Infiltrating the system?_

_Get him out of there?_

_What was happening?_

“Who—who are you?” Yuri asked, and Popovich's mouth twitched into a small smirk.

“Georgi Popovich, at your service,” he said as he drove off again as the light changed. “Secret Agent for the infamous OLF. We're getting you out of here—you _and_ a certain alpha who tried to save you.”

“Otabek?” Yuri asked in a rush, “you have my—you have Otabek? Is he all right? Is he hurt? Where did they take him? What did they do to him?”

“He's safe now,” Georgi said with a small, reassuring smile that did not quite reach his eyes. “They really put him through the ringer, though. Electroconvulsive Therapy, starvation, whipping, cutting, he was not allowed to relieve himself for long periods, then not allowed to clean himself up after, he got sick a lot. Honestly, I do not know how he will react when he sees you, so you need to prepare yourself, okay? Just in case.”

Yuri wanted to ask, _prepare myself for what?_ But he already knew the answer.

_Prepare yourself for a rejection, or maybe something worse—like Beka no longer recognizing me._

Yuri bit his lip, and did not speak as he shifted his gaze to the window. He pulled his seat belt on, and he stared out at the passing urban landscape, watching the buildings flick past as they merged onto the highway.

He knew that there was every chance that this whole explanation was a huge, elaborate setup to see how Yuri might react to the allure of freedom. These people were ruthless, after all, and he wasn't stupid—he _knew_ that they wanted to do everything in their power to keep Yuri as downtrodden as possible.

And yet...

Somehow, strangely, impossibly, Yuri knew that Georgi was not lying.

He was free.

Otabek was free.

Despite the reassurance that this was true, Yuri could not quite muster up any sort of joy. It still did not feel real.

Yuri pressed his palm to the window, and settled back against the plush seat as the world rushed past him.

 

~*~

 

They drove for over an hour in relative silence, Georgi picking up his speed when they passed though the city limits, and Yuri recognized the road they were on as the same one they led to Otabek's home. Yuri swallowed a moan of longing when he thought of him—his _true_ alpha.

Assuming Otabek even still wanted him, that is.

They did not drive to the airport, but instead headed in the opposite direction, until they came upon an old farmhouse with a huge expanse of empty fields, one of which bore a paved strip and a small aircraft. Yuri didn't know much about planes, aside from the fact that they went _up_ , but this one seemed like a stunted passenger plane, with similar dimensions to the huge planes at the airport, but roughly half the size.

Georgi parked the car and helped Yuri out, casting a glance around with narrowed eyes as he led Yuri away from the house, across the field, and to the air strip. Outside of the little plane was an entourage of people waiting for them that made Yuri's heart swell—his grandfather, Phichit, Minami, Viktor, and Yuuri—with a stroller bearing three identical, dark-haired, blue-eyed babies.

The three little girls squeaked and squealed in their stroller, save the middle one, who was watching Yuri with wide eyes past a pink and yellow dummy in her mouth. Viktor chuckled and took one of the fussing girls into his arms, while Yuuri circled the stroller and ran at Yuri, only remembering at the last moment to not tackle him, and pulled him into a tight hug. At the same time, he watched Georgi step aside and moved over to Viktor, and began to speak to him softly.

“Yurio,” Yuuri whispered tearfully as he hugged him close. “You're safe now, you're home.”

Yuri hugged the brunet back, and gazed over the older omega's shoulder at the collection of people waiting for him, but someone was missing.

“Where's Beka?” he asked, and Yuuri chuckled warmly at Yuri's complete lack of preamble.

“Inside,” Yuuri replied as he patted Yuri reassuringly on the back. “He's...he needed to rest.”

Yuri needed to see him. Now. However, before he had a chance to voice this desire, his arms were filled with Minami, who almost choked him in his excitement.

At the same time, Yuri noted that there was the distinct smell of _alpha_ all over him.

Yuri pulled back and checked Minami's throat to be sure, but there was no new mark there. He eyed Minami curiously, and he smiled up at Yuri sheepishly.

“You've been seeing a lot of Phichit, I take it,” Yuri said, and Minami's face tinted pink. “What happened?”

“Can I tell you later?” Minami asked in a small voice, “we just sort of need to get out of here right now, and we'll have a couple hours on the plane.”

“Sure,” Yuri replied with a small chuckle, and turned to the last person in the procession of people waiting to greet him.

Nikolai was leaning on his cane and smiling at Yuri warmly. His eyes were fixed solely on Yuri's face, not on the bump protruding from his abdomen, and slowly he made his way forward.

As though something in him had broken, Yuri hurried forward, and with a wide smile and tears in his eyes, he hugged his grandfather close.

“ _Grandpa_...” Yuri said weakly, and Nikolai's arms tensed around him.

“It's all right, Yuri,” Nikolai said as he rubbed his back, “my brave, brave, grandson, it's all right, it's all right, you're safe now.”

Yuri wept into his shoulder, clinging tightly to his grandfather while the older man continued to rub his back consolingly, just like he used to when Yuri was small. He sniffled softly as he tried to calm himself down, aware that they needed to go, but no one rushed him onto the plane. They all waited patiently, Viktor, Yuuri, and Minami now all each with a babe in their arms, bouncing the girls gently to keep them calm. Georgi was off to one side, gazing around with narrowed eyes, and a hand resting on the side of his jacket, giving Yuri the impression that he might be sporting a concealed weapon.

Yuri pulled back from his grandfather and turned back to the others. His gaze fixed this time on the children, and Yuri's hand fell compulsively to his baby bump. Yuri moved the rest of the way towards them, and smiled a little as he reached out for the quietest of the three babies, held in Yuuri's arms and dressed in a pink and white-striped onesie. The baby wrapped her hand around Yuri's index finger the moment that he reached for her, and he smiled a little.

“What are their names?” Yuri asked, and Yuuri smiled softly at the child in his arms.

“This is Yuriko,” he said, then motioned to the child in Viktor's arms, who was wearing a onesie with little yellow ducks all over it, and was giggling as she clung to Viktor's sunglasses, “that is Antonia, and that—” he motioned to the third little girl held by Minami, who was wearing a spring green onesie and patting at Minami's cheek, a matching green dummy in her mouth, “—is Viktoria.”

“Who named who?” Yuri asked teasingly, and arched a brow at the name choices. Yuuri laughed a little at the look, and shook his head.

“It's not what you think. Viktor picked Yuriko, and I picked Viktoria. We both agreed on Antonia.”

“Well, they're nice names,” Yuri offered—though privately he thought that they were a bit stuffy. Yuri shifted from foot to foot, and lifted his gaze to the doors of the little plane. According to Yuuri, just beyond those doors was his Beka. The one person who had kept him going these last months without even being there. His Beka, who endured worse torture than him— _for_ him.

Yuri needed to see him.

“Go to him, Yuri,” a sudden deep voice said, and Yuri turned to see that Georgi had stepped up to him, and offered Yuri a small, warm smile. “Remember what I said, and brace yourself, but go with love.”

“Thank you, Georgi,” Yuri said softly, and smiled softly before he turned away from his friends—his _family—_ and shifted his attention to the plane itself. He took a breath to steady himself, then hurried up the stairs and towards the plane door as fast as his legs would carry him.


	27. Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next update will be Thursday, February 8th. Enjoy :)

Chapter Twenty-Six – Reunion

 

Yuri hurried up to the doors, and as he reached them they opened with a sharp hiss. Yuri did not wait, but hastened through the opening, panting a little in both excitement and fear.

However, even after months of hoping, dreaming, and focusing his mind completely upon thoughts of Otabek, he was not wholly prepared for what he might see when he finally laid eyes upon him again.

Otabek looked _terrible_.

Otabek was pale, his hair was longer than the last time Yuri had seen him, and it was pulled away from his face with a black elastic. Deep, dark circles ringed his eyes like bruises, and two thin, pink scars decorated his left cheek in the shape of an X. He was thin, much thinner than Yuri could ever recall seeing him before, and he could count Otabek's ribs through his T-shirt with ease. On top of everything, the alpha seemed to be trembling slightly as he sat there and gazed back at Yuri.

Yuri took an uncertain step closer. Otabek was sitting reclined in one of the window seats on the right side of the plane, meaning that he had been able to watch Yuri's entire reunion with the others. As Yuri got closer, he saw more scars, both on Otabek's exposed arms, and on his face—tiny dots around his mouth, an inch-long scar over his right eyebrow, a crisscross of narrow cuts up and down his arms. Most of them were pink and very thin, giving Yuri the impression that they were likely temporary and would fade, given enough time.

Yuri dropped a hand to his swollen belly, and Otabek followed his movements silently.

“Hi, Beka,” Yuri said uncertainly, and took another step forward. “We missed you.”

_We_.

Otabek's jaw was working furiously, very much like he was chewing the inside of his cheek. His expression was carefully blank, and at that moment he reminded Yuri chillingly of a living doll.

“ _Omega..._ ” Otabek rasped as he stared at him, but otherwise did not move.

“Um, yeah,” Yuri replied nervously, his skin prickling from the use of the word, and rubbed at his stomach self-consciously. “ _Your_ omega...if you want me.”

“Omega,” he repeated in the same rasping tone. He stood up fluidly, and moved towards him so fast that Yuri jumped back a little in alarm. Otabek froze, and a flicker of life returned to the alpha's deadened eyes. “Can't...was bad...hurt you. Bad Alpha.”

Yuri flinched as Otabek lifted a hand and slapped himself.

“Bad...” another slap, “bad...” and another, “ _bad..._ ”

“Beka,” Yuri said pleadingly, but his words did not seem to be reaching Otabek as he slapped himself again and again, his face now an angry red. “Beka, stop, please!”

“ _Bad...bad...bad_...hurt Omega...” with every word he struck himself, until finally Yuri caught his wrist, and Otabek froze.

It was a testament to how much they had starved him that Yuri was able to close his fingers around Otabek's wrist, and his thumb and fingertips brushed together without effort. He was skin and bone, and it broke Yuri's heart to see it.

“Beka, please,” Yuri begged him, “you're not bad, you're okay— _we're_ okay.”

“Not...bad?” Otabek asked uncertainly, and cocked his head to the side as he stared at Yuri. “But...hurt Omega...was bad. Omega was bad too.”

Otabek's eyes dropped pointedly to Yuri's stomach, and he felt himself stiffen.

“Yes, I was,” Yuri replied, his voice softening a little.

“Punish...should punish...” Yuri blanched, and moved to back away, that was, until he heard Otabek speak again. “Punish _me_. Was so bad. Hurt Omega.”

“No,” Yuri said as he lifted his free hand to touch Otabek's uninjured cheek, and the alpha flinched away almost immediately. “Oh, baby, _no_. Please...don't hide from me. I forgave you a long time ago. It's _me_ who was bad for tricking you into this. I l—I...Beka...Beka, I'm _so_ sorry.”

Yuri's voice cracked and broke, but it did not matter as he lurched forward and captured his alpha's lips in a hard, desperate kiss.

Yuri's baby bump pressed hard into Otabek's flat stomach, and he grunted a little in surprise. Yuri released his wrist as the alpha floundered, as though uncertain where to rest his hands, and for half a moment, Yuri thought that Otabek might push him away. Yuri took hold of his alpha's wrists, both of them this time, and slowly guided them to rest on either side of his bump.

Otabek stiffened again, but this time for an entirely different reason. His breath hitched in surprise, and his hands tensed weakly against Yuri's hard, rounded stomach as he pulled back from the kiss, his face blank as though he was completely unaffected by it

“Baby,” he mumbled, almost childlike, as he dropped his gaze to the swell of Yuri's stomach. He smiled, and rested his hands over Otabek's to keep him from moving away.

“ _Our_ baby,” Yuri said with a small nod of encouragement. A small smile flickered across Otabek's expression, but an instant later it was replaced by a look of pain, and it disappeared behind the same blank expression as before.

“Y—Yu—Yu... _Omega_ ,” Otabek flinched, and his gaze flooded with shame for a moment before he looked away from Yuri. “'M sorry. Words...they're hard.”

“It's all right, Beka,” Yuri replied at once, his fingers lifting to the edge of his chin, turning him back to face Yuri again before he arched up to kiss him. “Take all the time you need. From what I hear, you had a _much_ harder time than me. Our child saved me from harsher punishment, but you didn't have that luxury.”

Otabek smiled humorlessly and shook his head a little as though to say, _no, I didn't,_ but he did not speak.

Yuri tried to understand, but it was difficult. He had wanted their reunion to be perfect—for he and Otabek to be healthy and whole, for Otabek to accept him without hesitation, and love him like he had before.

_It's all different now, though,_ Yuri's mind supplied as he reached up to touch Otabek's cheek again, and the alpha flinched like a skittish little mouse. Immediately Yuri moved to retract his hand, but Otabek caught his wrist, staying his movements.

“Omega,” Otabek repeated, this time with new warmth in his voice. Though Yuri was fairly certain that Otabek did not mean it as a belittling title, it still rang with unpleasant familiarity from his time with the trainer. Otabek seemed to sense his discomfort, and he frowned. “Was I bad again?”

“You just reminded me of stuff I'd rather not be reminded of,” Yuri explained awkwardly, his eyes finally dropping from Otabek to the carpet-lined floor of the plane. Otabek caught his chin and forced his gaze back up.

“Alpha is sorry,” Otabek said softly, “Alpha will punish himself—”

“—no, don't,” Yuri interrupted quickly, his voice escaping him as a gasp. “Beka, please, _no_.”

“But...” Otabek trailed off and dropped his gaze. “...Want to be worthy. _They_ said so much bad. Made me unworthy. Need to be worthy. Need to be good enough. Not good enough now.”

“Otabek, you are _more_ than good enough,” Yuri said softly, and threw his arms around him, hugging his alpha close. “Please, don't listen to the shattered parts of your mind. I...Beka, I _love_ you.”

“Love Omega,” Otabek said shakily in response, and moved to mirror Yuri, wrapping his arms securely around the omega's waist, holding him close. “Love Y...Yu...Omega.”

Yuri smiled weakly and hugged Otabek more tightly, just as he heard the distant rattle of the plane's stairs being ascended, abruptly ending their moment together.

“Sorry,” Minami said as his head popped in, closely followed by Phichit. Given how far away the cries of the triplets were, Yuri had to assume that the others were still on the ground. “But we need to get going. Georgi just left, and we've got a window of about an hour before the training and education centres work out what's happened. We have a cover story, but we need to get gone before Georgi feeds them the bullshit.”

“It's okay,” Yuri replied with a weak nod, while Otabek's arms tensed around him protectively. “C'min.”

Minami smiled with relief, and turned to the outside again and waved, seemingly to alert the others that it was safe to come up.

_Did they think that me and Beka would be doing it right in the aisle or something?_ Yuri wondered with vague amusement while Minami and Phichit stepped inside, their hands clasped together as they moved.

_I missed a lot in six months,_ Yuri mused, his eyes on their intertwined fingers, and he smiled a little when Minami noticed him looking, and the younger omega blushed a deep scarlet.

Yuuri, Viktor, and Nikolai followed Minami and Phichit, the young parents supporting the babies, Yuuri with two, and Viktor with one, his free arm helping Nikolai up the narrow stairs. Once they were all in, Viktor passed Antonia to Minami, and rushed back down for the stroller.

Viktor was back in less than thirty seconds, and relieved his omega of one of the babies while they all began to move towards the back of the plane, which had been fitted with three baby seats.

“ _We will be taking off in five minutes,”_ an unfamiliar voice said over the intercom as the stairs were taken away from the side of the plane, and the door shut with another hiss. “ _Please be seated and buckle in, and make sure any luggage is firmly strapped in to avoid injury. Emergency exits are located at the back and sides of the plane, and parachutes are located under the seats facing the doors._ ”

Yuri took Otabek's hand, and he led his alpha towards the back where the others had settled in. Yuuri was busy strapping Viktoria into a baby seat alongside her sister, while Minami waited for the new mother to relieve him of Antonia, and Viktor was busy tying the stroller in place with a strange bungee cord contraption jutting from the wall of the plane. Yuuri and Viktor worked together as seamlessly as a pair of ice dancers, never once needing to open their mouths and ask the other for something; they seemed to know it purely on instinct alone. It was quite a leap from how shaky things had been when Yuri had been taken some months before, and again Yuri felt a pang of guilt for missing so much, despite the fact that he knew that it wasn't exactly his fault.

A low rumble of the plane's engine starting up jarred Yuri back to reality, and he jumped a little in surprise.

Otabek was there before Yuri had even fully come back to himself, pressing a soothing hand to Yuri's back while he gazed at him with confusion and anguish, as though not wholly certain whether the touch was wanted or needed.

“Thank you,” Yuri murmured as he inched closer to Otabek. “Come on, let's find a seat.”

Yuri took Otabek's hand again, and led his alpha to the row of seats in between Yuuri, Viktor, and the babies behind them, and Minami and Phichit in front. Yuri had a feeling that Otabek would want the window seat, and he gave it up without a fight, while Nikolai eased down just across the aisle from Yuri, a warm and familiar smile upon his face as he regarded him.

“I am proud of you, Yuratchka,” Nikolai murmured over the low rumble of the engines starting up, while he pulled a little bottle of pills from his pants pocket. “So strong.”

Yuri smiled weakly, but did not answer. After everything that had happened he had no idea how _strong_ he actually was, but he still appreciated the sentiment. His family still loved him and supported him—he could ask for no more than that. Nikolai shook one pill from the bottle and dry-swallowed it, and eased back in the seat as he offered Yuri another warm, reassuring smile.

As though the baby sensed his swell of joyous emotion, Yuri felt a strong thump against his insides, and he winced as a hand fell to his stomach.

“Hurt?” Otabek asked, his voice uncertain, just as the baby gave his innards another firm kick.

Instead of answering, Yuri took Otabek's wrist and guided his hand to his stomach, just in time for him to feel the baby kick again. He gasped.

“Good hurt,” Yuri said with a small smile, and Otabek returned it, albeit with the same uncertainty as before. He caressed Yuri's stomach, making the omega shiver, and the alpha's smile broadened a bit.

“Brave Omega,” Otabek murmured affectionately while he eased back in his seat a little, but not before Yuri closed both his hands over one of his alpha's.

“Brave Alpha,” Yuri replied just as warmly, and he chuckled softly when Otabek's cheeks tinted a faint pink.

“This is it,” Viktor said suddenly, drawing Yuri and Otabek from their bubble, but when Yuri turned around, he saw that Viktor was not looking at them, but across the strapped-in triplets to his pair bond. “You ready?”

“As ready as I'll ever be,” Yuuri replied as he dropped his gaze to the triplets. “Minami?”

“Ready!”

“What...” Yuri stared at them. “What's going on?” Before they could answer however, the plane began to move.

All eyes were fixed on the triplets, Yuuri, Viktor, and Minami clapping and cheering, or, in Viktor's case, he had his arms thrown in the air and he was saying “ _wheeeee!_ ” in a high voice as the plane picked up speed.

The babies shrieked and giggled happily, throwing their arms up as they tried to mimic their father, but that all changed as they took to the air.

It didn't happen right away, but as they climbed higher and higher into the air and the plane righted itself, like a switch being flicked, the laughter turned into a chorus of wailing cries.

Over the noise Yuri heard the pilot again, “ _you're all free to move around the cabin, our arrival time in Frankfurt is set for about three and a half hours, to refuel, then it will be straight on to Kelowna, British Columbia..._ ”

However, with the triplets screaming and both parents rocking a child—with Minami's help—Yuri didn't hear much more.

Ever so slowly the triplets began to calm, but the adults did not set them down.

“My poor baby,” Yuuri cooed to Yuriko in his arms, “you didn't like your ears popping, did you?”

Predictably, the tot didn't answer, but her bottom lip quivered while she brought her little chubby fists to her eyes. Yuuri immediately drew her closer and rubbed her back consolingly.

Yuri smiled a little as he watched the scene, and jumped a little in surprise when he felt a hand brush his stomach. He turned, and saw Otabek's hand trailing over his stomach, a look of quiet awe on his face.

“Baby,” he murmured, repeating the word from earlier, then shifted his gaze to meet Yuri's eyes. “Soon?”

“Soon,” Yuri agreed with a small nod, and reached down to rest a hand over Otabek's, and winced as the baby gave his insides another swift kick. Otabek's expression brightened, and his thumb brushed over Yuri's stomach gently. “Beka?” Otabek looked up at the soft, pleading tone of Yuri's voice. “What...what happened when we were apart? You're so...different.”

The smile crumbled from Otabek's face, and it was replaced by a look of horror that Yuri had only ever seen upon the faces of a few people—victims of domestic violence, victims of torture, victims of rape— in short, people subject to true, unspeakable horror.

“No,” Otabek said as he shook his head and retracted his hand. Yuri caught his wrist, stopping the movement, and shifted his grip to lace their fingers together.

“Okay,” Yuri said, trying to remember how they'd helped Minami when he'd first come to them. “I'm sorry for asking. Please...just don't run from me. I need you, my alpha.”

“I...Need...” Otabek's brow furrowed, while behind them the the children began to slowly settle down. “Omega needs...Alpha?”

“That's right,” Yuri nodded, and used his free hand to reach for Otabek, and touched his cheek gently, still inflamed from his earlier assault on himself. “I never stopped thinking about you, you know. Not once.”

Otabek's lips quivered. It was less like he was about to cry, and more like he was trying to form words. He clenched his eyes shut and hissed in frustration. There was a low babble of talk around them, and no one seemed to be listening in, apparently aware that Yuri would not want to be the centre of attention after all that had happened. Otabek tried again.

“Y...Yu...Yu...ri,” Otabek choked out, as though voicing his name was painful, then cringed, like he expected to be struck. “Alpha did not stop thinking about you, either. Was confused. Scared.”

To hear Otabek admit that he had been scared was a strange experience. Yuri had always seen Otabek as strong, self-assured, and confident. This softened, nervous version of himself told Yuri one thing—whatever he'd endured, the people who had taken him had tried very heard to utterly destroy him, and they had nearly succeeded.

“I love you, Beka,” Yuri said. “I'm sorry it took me so long, but...I will be your strength until you feel better, okay?”

Smiling, Otabek nodded, and at the same time he felt another thump of a kick, like the baby was agreeing with him.


	28. The Journey Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next update will be February 15th, enjoy! :) And to those of you asking about a Viktuuri version of this story: YES I am working on a sort of sequel where I retell this story from Yuuri's POV. It will be called Hold Me Close, and I am hoping to start posting this sometime after I finish posting this, but I have no idea when. I find writing Vikturri sort of difficult, so it's a bit slow-going. XD

Chapter Twenty-Seven – The Journey Home

 

The first few hours on the plane were dull.

Viktor put on a literal marathon of princess movies, both Disney and not, for the girls, but the kids did not seem even remotely interested in them and continued to babble away happily at their parents after they'd calmed down from their initial scare of their ears popping. Yuri didn't find himself complaining about the noise nearly as much as he normally would have—what with his own proverbial _bundle of joy_ on the way, he found the act of watching the girls interact with their parents endearing, and more than once he exchanged an excited look with Otabek whenever the alpha placed a hand on Yuri's belly, and voiced his own excitement with a string of disjointed _words—baby,_ _happy,_ _Yura—or_ some variation thereof.

 

“Upsy-daisy, Yuri,” Yuuri said about two hours into their flight, and Yuri, who had been watching Otabek doze, turned to see Yuuri smiling at him as he reached out to take one of Yuri's hands, and he gave it a small tug. “You should probably walk around for a few minutes.”

“Why?” Yuri groused, his other hand still laced with Otabek's. He _really_ didn't want to get up.

“It's good for the baby,” Yuuri replied with a small smile. “Come on, up you get. Do you want Otabek to come with you?”

Yuri turned back, and saw Otabek drifting somewhere between sleep and wakefulness. Ever since they'd been reunited a few hours before Yuri could not help but notice how Otabek seemed to tire faster, and he supposed that it had to do with whatever those _monsters_ had done to his alpha during his so-called _re-education_.

“No, let him sleep,” Yuri whispered as he reluctantly untangled his hand from Otabek's and stood up with a small groan. His back twinged a little as he moved, and he paused to reach up into the overhead compartment and pulled down a thin blanket, which he gently draped over his alpha before he allowed Yuuri to lead him up and down the plane's aisle.

“Yuuri?” Yuri asked, his voice soft as they reached the front of the plane, despite the lack of necessity for whispering when everyone was at the opposite end of the craft.

“Yeah?”

“What happened to Otabek?” Yuri asked, his gaze still fixed upon Otabek, who was snoozing comfortably in his seat. One of the alpha's hands was still reaching out blindly, looking for Yuri, and the sight of it made Yuri's heart break. “I mean,” he continued, “I heard the short version from Georgi, but Beka won't talk about it, and...I feel like I need to know.”

“He went through absolute hell,” Yuuri said gravely, but softly enough that they wouldn't be overheard. “He...God, when Viktor got the paperwork of his so-called _treatments,_ I thought I was going to be sick. He was really mouthy when they first took him there; he was upset with you, obviously, for what you did, but he still wasn't willing to give up on you. The way I understand it, they were showing him pictures of you then shocking him, trying to make him associate you with pain. They also made him watch these horrible films, and he would be strapped down and his eyes forced to stay open with these special contraptions while he watched this...this...it was this film that basically said that omegas were dogs, made to be bred, that sort of thing, but much more graphic than that—I don't know all the details. When he kept being resistant to everything they sewed his mouth shut, they restricted his food, his sleep, when he could use the toilet...they drugged him, beat him...they took his clothes and left him outside in the dead of winter, taking him back inside only when he passed out...it was just awful.”

“Oh, _Beka_...” Yuri felt his throat tighten a little as he continued to gaze at his alpha. He looked so peaceful now, it was hard to believe that he'd suffered so much at the hands of those people. “Will he...will he always be like that, so...broken, I mean?”

“I hope not,” Yuuri replied softly, “I don't really know, it's not really my area of expertise, this... _thing_. I think with some real rest and food he'll improve, Viktor said that a lot of the gibberish is from his extreme sleep deprivation, but there's no telling how long it'll take him to get better, or if he ever will, but I think he'll improve once we're settled in in Canada.”

“How long will you be staying?” Yuri asked distractedly while he rested his hands compulsively on his stomach, and continued to watch Otabek sleep.

“Yuri,” Yuuri said, his voice so heavy with confusion that it drew Yuri's gaze momentarily from his alpha, and over to his friend. “Did no one tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

“Viktor bought a house in the woods on Okanagan Lake in Kelowna. We're _all_ moving there.”

“...he did what?” Yuri asked, staring open-mouthed at his fellow omega, who was merely smiling at him warmly.

“ _He bought a house_. One of those big summer home type of things. Viktor sold his company for a few hundred billion roubles, and he's going into early retirement. Nikolai, Phichit, and Minami all filed for a work visa, and on paper Minami is a nanny, Phichit is a photographer, and Nikolai is a chef. Otabek and you are under the OLF's protection, so you had your Canadian Citizenship rushed through, and it will be finalized once we get there.” Yuuri scratched the back of his neck nervously as he shifted his gaze to Otabek. “I have no idea if it'll be enough to protect Otabek, but Viktor and I did everything we could to get you guys out of there. You're safe, Yuri, that's for sure. Otabek...it's a bit more uncertain.”

“Why?” Yuri asked, while he struggled to keep the bite out of his voice. “What did Beka do to deserve this?”

“Well...the Mob doesn't usually let go of its money willingly, you know?” Yuuri asked, and Yuri felt his breath still.

“M-Mob?”

“Yeah,” Yuuri replied, “I asked Viktor if he was involved in that stuff too, but he swears he wasn't. He owned this huge...and I mean _huge_ entertainment company-thing that represented dancers, actors, musicians...but sometimes they needed some... _financial cleaning_ , he said, and so that's how he knew Otabek, but I don't know all the details.” Yuuri winced, “to be honest, I don't really _want_ to know, either.”

Yuri could understand that sentiment, and instead of answering, he nodded his head, his gaze trailing back to his sleeping alpha.

 

~*~

 

After Yuri's 'walk', he was eager to sit back down with Otabek again. As though sensing his presence, Otabek reached for him with a tiny sigh, and rested his head on Yuri's shoulder, while one hand moved to lie against his stomach, earning the omega a swift kick to the bladder.

_I swear, this kid is going to grow up to be a kick-boxer,_ Yuri thought as he rubbed at the spot, wincing a little, and smiled a little to himself. _But they really love their daddy. They never moved this much until I saw Beka again._

Without thinking, Yuri lifted a hand to Otabek's hair, and ran his fingers through the dark strands lovingly.

“ _Yuri..._ ” Otabek sighed with contentment, and tried to shuffle closer, despite the awkward position of the plane seats. Yuri smiled warmly at how _good_ it sounded for Otabek to speak his name like that, and he turned to kiss the alpha's temple lightly.

“I'm here, Beka,” Yuri whispered softly, and he felt his heart melt as Otabek smiled in his sleep.

Slowly Yuri nodded off next to his alpha, and when he next woke it was not because he wanted to, but thanks to three sets of lungs screaming bloody murder—again.

“Wossgoinon?” Yuri asked groggily as he sat up and rubbed his eyes while Otabek slept through the screaming, and saw Yuuri, Viktor, and Phichit all holding a child and rocking them as they tried to soothe the screaming babies.

“We just left Frankfurt,” Minami filled in, “you and Otabek slept through our entire pit stop. Now it's just straight on to Canada—a _ten hour_ flight.”

Yuri grimaced a little at the prospect of that, but he did not dare complain. All of them were taking a massive risk for him, and Yuri could not be more grateful that they were willing to do it.

“Yeah, well, I've been through some stuff, so I'm a bit tired,” Yuri said dryly, and Minami giggled a little. “So have you, apparently.” Yuri eyed Phichit pointedly, who was still cradling a sniffling baby, her little fists rubbing clumsily at her cheeks as she slowly began to calm down.

“Yeah...” Minami said a little wistfully, and smiled. “He's been so good to me, Yuri, you wouldn't believe it. At first, he kept making all these excuses to not leave, and originally I thought he was doing it just to force me to see him all the time, but that wasn't it at all. Yuuri was just such a mess, between the girls being born, and you two being arrested, and taking on your grandfather—he stayed with us while you were, you know, _there—_ but Phichit never looked at me once, he was totally focused on doing what he could to help Yuuri. He's not like Otabek or Viktor though, he doesn't have tons of money. His father owns a little grocery store in Bangkok, nothing extravagant, so there wasn't much he could do in a financial way, so he was just moral support, but Viktor got him a work visa and kept him on as a photographer or something at the house so that Yuuri could have a friend to confide in while he tried to save you two. It was insane, how much stuff was going on.

“And then like two weeks ago,” Minami continued, his voice becoming a little breathless, “Phichit sort of...pulled me aside, and admitted that Yuuri wasn't the only reason he was sticking around, and that he wanted to take me out, like on a date, but he was afraid of accidentally pushing, and I sort of stammered out a _yes,_ and...and...” Minami's rushed explanation trailed off as he blushed a deep pink, and Yuri smiled warmly at him.

“And...?” Yuri prompted, making Minami's blush deepen.

“He made this...this _thing_ for me,” Minami said, “he said that it was a practice in Thailand, but not so much Russia. It's this false bonding mark made from clay and makeup, which omegas used to use to go out in public without an escort. I'd never seen one before, and Phichit said he'd only seen them a few times, because it's just for show, and any alpha that looks too close will be able to smell that it's fake.”

“Did you try it anyway?” Yuri asked curiously, and Minami nodded.

“He took me into the city and we went to see a movie, and then had dinner. It wasn't really fancy, just fast food, because he insisted on paying for it himself, not borrowing money from Viktor. After, we walked home, and he escorted me up to my room, and that was it.”

“No kiss?” Yuri cocked his head to the side, and Minami smiled again.

“No kiss,” Minami confirmed. “He was so worried about upsetting me that we didn't kiss until our third date, and still he asked me if he could before he did it, and it was just a little peck on the lips. Ever since then, we've spent a lot of time together, except at my heats—I don't think I'm really ready for anything yet.”

“I'm happy for you,” Yuri said with a soft smile, “really. You've been through a lot, and you deserve someone who treats you right.”

“So do you, Yuri,” Minami replied, his eyes seeming to glow with a knowing look as he gazed at his fellow omega, and it flicked to Otabek briefly, before returning to Yuri.

“I think we'll find it,” Yuri replied confidently, and moved to touch the back of Otabek's hand. The alpha sighed softly, still asleep, and turned his hand to clasp Yuri's. “I mean...I know we'll need to be careful, but I think...I think once this baby is born, she'll help Beka get better.”

Minami smiled at him warmly, but after a half-beat, his brow furrowed.

“ _She_?” he asked, and Yuri offered him another smile.

“I think so,” Yuri replied, and shrugged. “I just have a feeling a princess is on the way.”

“ _Another_ princess, you mean,” Viktor cut in teasingly, his voice just barely above a whisper to avoid waking Otabek as he passed by with a fussy Antonia in his arms. “Yuuri was the same, he was so sure that the triplets would turn out to be girls, but I wasn't so sure. I think it's a gift of the omega, being able to sense these sort of things. But if that's true our new house will be horrifying thirteen years from now.”

“ _Four_ hormonal girls in one house,” Yuri realized with a groan, “I hope this place has more than one bathroom, otherwise things are gonna get _ugly_.”

“Maybe if things with Phichit progress we'll have a boy, even things out a little,” Minami offered with a little giggle, though there was still a small, uncertain lilt in his voice at the prospect of that sort of intimacy, which Yuri could understand.

“Oh, I love the idea of a house full of children,” Yuuri added with a wistful sigh as he joined Viktor, and sat on the armrest of Minami's seat, Viktoria dozing in his arms and a dummy dangling from her mouth. “Somehow it just feels like...some sort of family paradise.”

“It will be,” Viktor said, arm snaking around Yuuri's waist to tug him closer, and kissed his omega's cheek. “No more of this _alphas are supreme_ stuff. You guys will finally be free.”

“Is Canada really that progressive?” Yuri asked curiously while Phichit stepped up to join them, one of the kids still supported in his arms as Minami shifted over one seat, allowing Phichit to sit down without having to step over the omega to do so.

“Enough,” Viktor replied with a slight shrug, “it's better than home or America, but not as good as Scandinavia. We wanted to be far enough away from Europe just in case something went wrong. Besides, we're pretty secluded anyway, our closest neighbour is about five kilometres away or so.”

“Could you vague it up for me a little?” Yuri asked sarcastically, and Viktor raised his eyebrows in surprise at his tone, and Yuri winced. “Sorry. It's just...I've spent _months_ in literal hell and I can't really take this beating around the bush stuff. Can you give it to me straight, please?”

“No, I'm sorry,” Viktor replied with a small, apologetic smile, “I wasn't aware that that wasn't plain enough for you.” He paused to adjust the babe in his arm, bringing her up to his shoulder as she began to nod off, drooling all over his expensive-looking suit, but he did not seem to care.

“Canada has full equal rights for its omega citizens, but laws surrounding sexual assault are a little shaky, and instead of protecting the omegas, about half the time omegas are victim-blamed for the assault, instead of the guilty party being blamed for _actually_ assaulting them,” Viktor explained with a grimace, “it's improving, slowly, but I have heard that British Columbia is one of the more progressive provinces, so hopefully we won't have to deal with any of that.”

“Yeah, knowing my luck...” Yuri trailed off, his gaze shifting to Otabek, who was still sound asleep, a protective hand resting against Yuri's stomach, and his head on Yuri's shoulder. Yuri smiled faintly, and reached up to stroke Otabek's hair. The alpha sighed softly. “I want to ask him to mark me...when he's feeling better.”

The two alphas present did not react to this statement, but both Yuuri and Minami gasped at the same time. Yuri glanced over at Yuuri, and immediately snorted at what he saw.

“Oh, damn it, I made Yuuri cry,” Yuri said, and everyone laughed warmly.

“Oh, no,” Yuuri said between sniffles as he supported his daughter with one arm, and fanned his eyes with the opposite hand, “happy—happy tears. Oh, Yuri, I'm just so _happy_ for you and Otabek. After all you've been through, you two deserve it.”

Yuri smiled weakly, uncertain what he could say to that, and instead turned his attention back to Otabek, who was still fast asleep. Some colour had returned to his cheeks, and the dark circles under his eyes were lessened somewhat, but he still looked terribly fragile compared to the Otabek that Yuri had known.

Yuri pressed a kiss to Otabek's forehead, while around them the others began to meander back to their seats. Otabek sighed in his sleep, his arm dropping to Yuri's waist as he attempted to draw him closer, and Yuri smiled warmly as he cuddled up with his alpha and closed his eyes.

 

~*~

 

They were over the ocean and on their fifth hour of nonstop princess movies (currently _The Little Mermaid_ ) when Otabek finally woke up.

Yuri was sitting down when Otabek began to stir, though Yuuri had been eyeing him as though to silently tell him that it was time to get up and take a quick walk around, but the moment Otabek began to wake, all thoughts of moving fled from Yuri's mind.

His hand moved up to his alpha's hair, and he began to stroke it gently as Otabek's eyelids flickered for a moment before finally opening, and he blinked several times before he turned his gaze up to Yuri.

“Yuri?” he asked, his voice small and childlike, the sound of it tugging at Yuri's heart painfully. He moved his hand to Otabek's cheek, smiling at him warmly before he leant in and brushed the alpha's lips in a gentle kiss.

“I'm here, Beka,” Yuri replied gently, “you're here too. You're safe, and no one is going to hurt you.”

“How did...?” Otabek asked as he blinked, and stared at Yuri with confusion. “How did you know I wasn't sure?”

“I feel that way when I wake up too,” Yuri replied, and pecked his lips again, deciding, for the moment, to not remark on how Otabek seemed more put together than before. “Like...like I'm not sure if this is all real, or just a new torture the trainers cooked up just for me, you know?”

“Yeah,” Otabek nodded, and pressed his cheek to Yuri's shoulder again, while one of his hands moved to Yuri's stomach, and rubbed it gently. The baby answered with a kick of her own, and Yuri grimaced a little. Otabek lurched back and gazed up at Yuri with concern. “Did I hurt you?”

“No,” Yuri replied with a little grimace. “Your kid just adores you too much. Every time you rub my stomach they start to kick.”

“Kid...” Otabek stared down at Yuri's stomach, and rubbed his hand over it again, eliciting another gurgle of movement, but thankfully not a kick. “He's really in there, isn't he?”

“You think the baby will be a boy?” Yuri asked, relaxing a little as Otabek continued to stare at his stomach in wonder.

“No idea,” Otabek replied honestly, “you think it's not a boy? What else could it be?”

“Well...it could always be a lizard,” Yuri deadpanned, and Otabek snorted, his breath escaping him in a short puff against the side of Yuri's neck, and his skin tingled pleasantly.

“You seem a lot better,” Yuri hedged, watching Otabek for a negative reaction, but when none came he continued, “than before, I mean. You're stringing words together and sound pretty...well, normal.”

“You're helping,” Otabek replied simply, his expression neutral as he returned his gaze to the swell of Yuri's stomach, and continued to rub the bump like Yuri was some sort of Russian Buddha. “When I woke up, the first thing that you said was _you're safe_. It makes it easier to believe when it's you saying it, and not one of our friends.” Otabek winced, and stopped his stroking, his palm resting securely over their unborn child. “I don't mean that I think they'd lie, but...they might say it just to make me feel better, or not freak out. If you say it, I feel like you're telling the truth. I can say things...more than one or two words, and I know you won't hurt me for it.”

“I'd never hurt you, Beka, and I promise that I'll always tell you the truth,” Yuri murmured, and then laughed, “well...unless it's your birthday or something, then I'll _definitely_ lie.”

Otabek laughed, a warm and full sound that Yuri had never heard from him before, and it brought an instant smile to Yuri's face.

“I'm going to get you something to eat,” Yuri said as he reluctantly pulled back from Otabek, “something light; it looks like they starved you way worse than me.”

“I'd like that,” Otabek replied as he offered Yuri a small, warm smile, and squeezed his hand gently. “I like you taking care of me. But...don't stress yourself out, okay?” His eyes fell pointedly to Yuri's stomach, and the omega smiled.

“This kid is tougher than they look,” Yuri replied teasingly as he leant in for one last kiss, “if they can survive nearly the full term under the threat of torture, I think they can handle me making you a sandwich.”

Yuri stood up with a soft groan, and walked to the front of the plane where the little kitchenette was. As he went, he could not help but pass a glance back at the little motley crew that had so quickly become his family. Viktor and Yuuri were at the back tending to the triplets, one of the three (Viktoria, Yuri thought) was asleep in her baby-sized seat, while the other two were being cradled by their parents. Nikolai, who had been relatively quiet during the trip (which was not very surprising, given that his grandfather _hated_ flying) was dozing in his seat, his head slumped forward and a little bottle of sleeping pills left out in his cup-holder. Minami and Phichit, seated just in front of where Yuri and Otabek were, were holding hands as they talked quietly with one another.

A small smile touched Yuri's lips as he slipped behind the curtain reluctantly, blocking the others from view. He went to work pulling out the bread, mustard, cold cuts, and pickles from the mini-fridge, then began to put a sandwich together for his alpha.

_This feels so nice,_ Yuri thought as he fished out one of the crunchy dill pickles from its jar and proceeded to slice it thinly, popping a few pieces into his mouth before he set it aside and smeared the rye bread with mustard, then layered on the meat. _It's so peaceful; no stress. Is this what normal life is like? Will I_ really _get to have this every day for the rest of my life?_

Yuri peeked out from behind the curtain, and saw Otabek looking out the window, a small, wistful smile upon his face—though privately Yuri thought that he still looked pretty tired. Yuri turned back to the sandwich he was making and he layered on the pickles before he pressed the other slice of bread on top and transferred it to a plastic plate. After he grabbed a ginger ale from the fridge, Yuri turned and headed back to his alpha, a tiny smile upon his face as he went.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: 5km is about 3 miles.
> 
> I've gotten a few remarks here and there about Otabek's job, meaning that people weren't really sure what he did, so I hope this clears it up. I said “Mob” here and not “Russian Mafia” because from what I understand the Russian Mafia is notoriously racist, and it's highly unlikely they'd let an immigrant in. According to my fountain of knowledge(aka my friend who helped me with the details of this aspect of the chapter), there are more organized crime groups than just the Russian Mafia operating in Russia, so I kept it deliberately vague to imply that it is one of the less-powerful circles. Really, Otabek lived on family inheritance and money laundering schemes, so aside from that he didn't have a real “job”. I hope this clears things up!


	29. Home Sweet Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next update will be February 22nd. Enjoy! :)

Chapter Twenty-Eight – Home Sweet Home

 

After another five hours of flying, most of which Yuri spent curled up with Otabek, talking softly, eating, or sleeping, they finally landed.

They did not land in a traditional airport, but in an empty field instead. From the nearby small crafts parked on or around the field, Yuri had to assume that it was some kind of airport for plane enthusiasts or something—he was too tired by the long flight to really care very much.

Unlike with takeoff, as the plane's wheels bumped and skidded across the field, the triplets seemed to be enjoying themselves, rather than the reverse, and squealed delightedly along with their father as they landed, while Yuuri looked on with an amused smile as he shook his head.

“Home sweet home!” Viktor proclaimed as he unbuckled his seat belt and moved to the back for the stroller, while Yuuri turned to the triplets and began to unstrap them.

“Yeah,” Yuri replied, more to Otabek than to anyone else, “home sweet home.”

The couple turned to look out of one of the windows. It was overcast and spitting the occasional droplet of rain, but it was not miserable to look at for one simple reason—they were _free_.

Yuri reached for Otabek's hand and gave it a small squeeze, which he returned at once.

“ _Guys_ ,” Minami said, snapping Yuri and Otabek from their little bubble. “Stop making googly eyes at each other and let's go!”

Yuri snorted and unbuckled his seat belt, just as Viktor zipped by with the folded up stroller under his arm.

“Can...can I help?” Otabek asked suddenly while Yuuri, Minami, and Phichit all followed Viktor with a kid in each of their arms.

“What?” Yuri blinked, and the omega frowned when he saw Otabek duck his head a little like a puppy being scolded.

“Don't...I don't want you to feel like you can't do anything on your own, but it feels... _right_ to help you right now,” Otabek explained, while he sucked his bottom lip into his mouth and chewed on it nervously.

Yuri reached out compulsively and gently rested his thumb on the skin below Otabek's lip, pulling on it gently until he released it, and Yuri leant in for a kiss.

“I love you, Beka,” Yuri murmured, “you know that...right?”

“I...” Otabek bowed his head, but Yuri caught his chin gently, and eased his gaze back up. Otabek's eyes were troubled, and he looked uncertain of the answer to the question. “I think so. I'm not too...broken?”

“No, of course not,” Yuri replied as he moved to stroke Otabek's cheek, and kissed him again. “Beka, you're _amazing,_ and definitely not broken. I love you as you are, remember that, okay?”

Otabek appeared at though he did not wholly believe Yuri but nodded nonetheless, his mouth still twisted into a little frown. Yuri kissed him again, and again, grinning as he did so, until at last Otabek cracked a small grin, and chuckling, he finally returned the kisses.

“Come on, then,” Yuri said with a gentle smile, “help your poor, pregnant omega waddle his way off this plane.”

Otabek seemed to brighten at this invitation, and though Yuri did not feel he really _needed_ the help, he let Otabek do it. It felt nice, and right, and he could not stop smiling as Otabek rested his hand against Yuri's back, then led Yuri off the plane where the others were waiting.

Outside everyone was standing by the plane while one of the plane attendants was unloading the cargo, which included a small pile of bags and an animal carrier.

The carrier was empty and Makkachin was standing with Viktor and Yuuri, nosing the triplets. When Yuri and Otabek got closer, the dog seemed to sense their presence and turned with an open-mouthed puppy grin he lurched for them, but thankfully his red leash stopped him from going very far.

“No, no, Makkachin!” Viktor said with a laugh, “you don't want to hurt Yurio!”

Yuri snorted at that, while Otabek stepped over to the bags and opened the one that read, _Yurio,_ on the bag tag.He pulled out a zip-up hoodie and handed it to Yuri, who tugged it on gratefully. Thanks to his protruding stomach the garment wasn't nearly as baggy as he would have liked, but it staved off the slight chill in the air, and Yuri offered his alpha a grateful smile.

Yuri wrapped an arm around Otabek's waist as the pair finally headed over to the others, and at last the dog was calm enough that he did not jump up, but did sniff at Yuri's pregnant belly curiously, as though he knew that there was a baby inside it.

Despite the rain, Kelowna was beautiful. Snow-capped mountains were visible in the distance, and the field was surrounded by dense forest not unlike the kind that had surrounded Otabek's home back in Russia. A pair of multi-person ATVs were waiting for them just beyond where the plane sat; the others had all climbed into them, and were watching Yuri and Otabek expectantly.

“Come on, you guys!” Minami called, “we're taking these back to the main road, and we're driving the rest of the way there!”

“Are you sure that's the best idea?” Yuri asked uncertainly while he eyed the three toddlers perched in Viktor, Yuuri, and Minami's laps with no protection, and at the same time Otabek wrapped a protective arm around Yuri's waist, his hand pressing into the side of the omega's pregnant stomach pointedly.

“It's not far, and we're driving slowly,” Yuuri replied with a small smile. “Minami-kun and Viktor will tell you that I'm the _worst_ at being an overbearing parent, so if I say it's okay, really, it's okay.”

Both Minami and Viktor snorted as though they were agreeing with the brunet, causing Yuuri to flush a deep red. At the same time, Yuri exchanged once last look of uncertainty with Otabek, then with a small sigh of defeat, he climbed onto the ATV with his grandfather and Phichit, who was at the wheel.

“Ready?” Phichit asked them with a little grin, and Yuri pointedly took Otabek's hand. Phichit laughed, though the sound was warm, and not cruel.

“No,” Yuri replied as he shifted a little closer to Otabek.

“Great, let's go.”

Phichit revved the engine, and Yuri shifted closer to Otabek with a soft whimper of fright. Yuri clung to his alpha, while Otabek tightened his arm around Yuri, as though remembering that Yuri did not deal well with high speed, and they rumbled off.

As promised they were not going very fast, but every bump or dip in the field that they hit made Yuri cling to Otabek tighter, and when Phichit sped up a little, both Otabek and Yuri, in eerie, perfect unison began to yell, “ _Baby on board, baby on board!_ ”

“Would you two _calm_ down?” Phichit demanded, not looking away from their path as he spoke, “your neurotic backseat driver-ness is making me nervous.”

“Yuratchka has never been fond of speeds where he is not in control,” Nikolai remarked with a warm chuckle. “He would not even ride on the back of my bicycle down to the market—he always insisted on riding his own, or we would walk.”

“Hmm, well that certainly explains a lot,” Otabek teased softly, then kissed Yuri's cheek, which was cherry red with embarrassment.

 

It took them less than five minutes to trundle across the field and make it to the road where Minami, Yuuri, and Viktor were already waiting with the girls by a large red van, the middle row filled with three car seats, and Yuriko, Viktoria, and Antonia were already all buckled in, each holding onto a different toy and babbling to one another happily, not a care in the world. Yuuri was folded into Viktor's arms, smiling warmly as he watched his children, while Minami's eyes were fixed on the approaching ATV, and its driver.

Phichit screeched to a halt, making all the passengers jerk in their seats, and he rushed off the vehicle and over to Minami, who smiled broadly when Phichit pulled him into a brief hug.

Chuckling a little at their sweet budding romance, Yuri climbed off the ATV more slowly, and circled to the front to help his grandfather over the uneven ground and to the waiting van. Yuri could feel Otabek following behind them, and in his periphery he saw his alpha bouncing from foot to foot, as though he did not know what to do or how to act.

For the moment, Yuri chose to ignore him, and focused his energies on guiding his grandfather to the front of the van, and helped him to climb into the passenger seat.

“You're a good boy, Yuratchka,” Nikolai said with an affectionate pat upon Yuri's cheek once he was seated, “I am very proud of you. You have endured more than anyone could ever expect of you in so short a time, and you came out of it, once more, whole, and more or less unscathed. I am so proud of you, my grandson—and, of course, I look forward to meeting my great-grandchild soon.”

Yuri felt his face flush, and he placed two hands on his stomach, just as Otabek stepped up to his side.

“It is soon, isn't it?” Yuri asked, “like a month and a half or so.”

“We're going to get you to a doctor soon,” Viktor said as he circled to the driver's seat, and climbed in before he continued to speak. “We just have to finish up some paperwork, then we'll take you to someone. How good is your English?”

“I'm fluent,” Otabek offered with a shrug, “I've had dealings with people from all over, so I speak it fine.”

“I know some bits and pieces,” Yuri replied, and shifted his gaze to Otabek. “Will you be my translator?”

“Of course, Yuri,” Otabek replied, his voice a low purr, that made Yuri's face flush pink, “I'll be anything you want.”

“—Can you be his French maid?” Phichit cut in teasingly.

“Or naughty housew-husband?” Minami added.

“Or sexy gardener?”

“Good one!” Minami praised, and the pair high-fived, while Yuri rolled his eyes and Otabek buried his red face in his hands.

“Okay,” Viktor said between chuckles, “everybody in. We still got a way's to go before we can crash.”

Still distinctly red-faced, Yuri was ushered first into the very back of the van, followed by Otabek, Phichit, and Minami, who all sat squished together in the back (Minami shamelessly perched in Phichit's lap to make room for them all, the latter couple somewhat giggly as they cuddled together) while Yuuri sat in the middle next to the triplets. He took to the task of slamming the sliding doors shut, while Viktor started the engine.

“Everybody ready?” Viktor asked as he turned to glance at his kids, who all began to giggle when he made a silly face at them. “All right! Off we go!”

Viktor pulled away from the curb and onto the street, while he flicked on the radio at the same time. Someone was talking, jabbering in English so fast that Yuri only caught every other word, but he was uncertain whether that had to do with the language, or the fact that he had been travelling for close to fifteen hours, and he was well beyond exhausted. Soon, it shifted to some music, and it slowly lulled Yuri to sleep, his cheek pressed to Otabek's shoulder comfortably, with his alpha's fingers tangled in his hair.

 

~*~

 

“Yuri,” a gentle voice said, fingers tickling through his hair, and Yuri groaned.

“Yuri,” the voice said again, “come on, baby, wake up, we're here.”

“Where's here?” Yuri asked groggily, but did not open his eyes.

“Our new home. Come on,” Otabek shook him gently, “wake up. Don't make me carry you.”

Yuri opened his eyes and immediately winced as the bright sunlight stung them. Otabek pressed his glasses into his hands hastily, and Yuri tugged them on.

“I thought you were just trying out an Elton John look,” Otabek teased as he helped a still half-asleep Yuri out of his seat belt, and it was only then that he noticed that the van was completely empty. “Those glasses are prescription?”

“Sort of,” Yuri replied as he yawned, “the trainers decided the best way to _try_ and break me was to keep me in literal darkness for months on end, so my eyes aren't really used to light anymore. How long was I asleep? I—”

Yuri broke off as he glanced up, and gasped at what he was seeing.

It was a beautiful two-storey house built into the mountainside overlooking a crystal-blue lake. The water was dotted with large islands, and the mountainside where the house stood was surrounded by towering fir trees, giving them privacy from any possible neighbours or holidaymakers on the water.

The house itself seemed to be constructed of some sort of tan-coloured wood that Yuri did not recognize, with large, single-paned windows and a dark shingled roof with a chimney. It was a dream house, and to imagine himself _living_ there was just short of ridiculous.

“You were asleep for barely twenty minutes, Otabek said from behind him, just before he wrapped his arms around Yuri's waist and pulled him flush against his chest. “What do you think?”

“It's...wow,” Yuri replied as he continued to stare wide-eyed at the house. “Viktor sure didn't skimp.”

“He really didn't,” Otabek replied with a soft chuckle as he gave Yuri a little squeeze. “Want to see the inside?”

Yuri bit his lip to stifle his grin, and spun in Otabek's arms. His plan for a romantic _just us_ sort of moment was impeded somewhat by Yuri's baby bump getting in the way, but Otabek did not appear at all bothered by this, but instead chuckled warmly as he rested his hands over it, and leant in to kiss him.

“I never stopped thinking about you, Yura,” Otabek murmured, “not once. They kept telling me that you were nothing, calling you horrible names, and they would try and convince me that you were this ice-cold, manipulating...person, but I never believed it. I was upset with you, and I was heartbroken that you tricked me to get...well, pregnant, but I think I understand better now why you did it. It was to protect yourself.”

“Yeah,” Yuri nodded, “it was. At first...I wasn't really thinking about what being pregnant really _meant_ , you know? I just...” he paused and shook his head. “It doesn't mean I don't want this baby, though. I feel like...they're mine, and I want to protect them, and watch them grow up...with you by my side.”

Otabek smiled, his bottom lip quivering a little as he gazed at the omega. Yuri leant in, one hand on Otabek's cheek, prickly and unshaven, and he pulled his alpha into a kiss.

“I always be by your side, Yuri,” Otabek murmured against his mouth, “we're free, we're safe, and I promise you that I will give you and our baby everything I can in order to have our happy little life.”

“Even if we were in a cave with nothing, I know we could make it work,” Yuri replied as he chuckled softly. “All _this._..” he waved his hand vaguely towards the house, “it's just icing on the cake.”

“Well, let's go look at all the icing then,” Otabek replied, making Yuri laugh as they headed inside, hand-in-hand.

 

~*~

 

The inside of the house was just as beautiful as the outside. The main floor was open-concept, with cream carpets in the living room, along with dark brown leather couches and armchairs around a fireplace and huge television. The sliding glass doors at the back of the space looked out on a wooden balcony stained a dark brown, and were in full view of the lake.

The kitchen, painted soft blues with a white tile floor, granite countertops, and oak cabinets was filled with top-of-the-range appliances, mountains of food, an overstuffed fridge, and gorgeous copper pots and pans hanging from one of the walls. Next to it was the dining room, with a large dark brown table decorated with a centrepiece of three tapered red candles, and in addition to the carved wooden chairs around it also sat four high chairs, all of which had been labelled, _Antonia, Viktoria,_ and _Yuriko_ , along with one blank one, yet to be named.

Yuri smiled warmly at the last high chair as he rested his hands on his stomach and leant against Otabek while they gazed at the piece of furniture.

Meanwhile, Yuuri was in the living room with the girls, Phichit and Minami playing with them while Nikolai looked on with a small, indulgent smile. Viktor was in the kitchen, apparently preparing a snack for everyone, with three bottles warming in a saucepan on the stove and the electric kettle had been switched on, with a line of mugs waiting to be filled. He was smiling to himself as he pulled down a box of cookies from the pantry, and the whole scene was so peacefully, wonderfully domestic that Yuri almost wanted to pinch himself to make sure that it was real.

“Come on,” Otabek murmured after a moment as he kissed Yuri's temple, “more icing upstairs.”

On the second floor of the house, they found eight bedrooms and two bathrooms. Because of so many rooms being squished together they were all modestly sized, but far from what Yuri would consider _small_. Like with the high chairs, all the doors had little labels on them— _Phichit, Minami, Yuuri and Viktor, Nikolai,_ and a room for the triplets bearing all three of their names. At the very end of the hall on the easternmost side, there was a door labelled, _Otabek and Yuri._

“I guess this is us,” Yuri joked, and Otabek smiled weakly. “Hey, you all right?”

“Fine,” Otabek replied, his voice a little more roughened than Yuri had expected it to be. “Just tired.”

“Well, let's test out the bed, then,” Yuri said, and felt his cheeks redden at the accidental innuendo. Otabek chuckled as he tightened his arm around the omega, and reached for the doorknob.

From the door, Yuri could see an attached bathroom and second bedroom with a wooden sign on the door, blank for the moment, but decorated with teddy bears—the baby's room.

The space was warm and welcoming, with soft grey carpeting, walnut furniture, and cream walls, with a large king-sized bed layered with too many pillows and blue-grey blankets. A huge bay window overlooked the lake, and would give them a perfect view of the sunrise every morning.

“Wow,” Yuri breathed, his eyes wide as he stared around at the room. “This is...amazing.”

Otabek stumbled a little over the threshold, and Yuri pressed a hand to his chest as he turned to see that the dark circles had returned to surround Otabek's eyes, and he looked less like he'd been awake for four or five hours, and more like he'd been on his feet for three days.

“Sorry,” Otabek grunted as he righted himself. “Maybe...just need to lie down for a minute.”

“Come on, Beka,” Yuri said as he took his hands, “let me take care of you.”

“I should...I should be taking care of you,” Otabek protested feebly as he yawned, “you're the pregnant one, not me.”

“And you went through something awful, and are doing the stupid _strong and silent_ thing when you don't need to,” Yuri accused as he led his alpha over to the bed and forced him down onto it before he stripped off Otabek's shoes, socks, shirt, and pants, leaving him just in his underwear. “You're allowed to give yourself time to recover, you know, I won't freak out over that. Now, come on, bed.”

Otabek eyed Yuri, confusion registering in his gaze, but after a moment he huffed and shuffled under the covers, where Yuri joined him almost at once. He pressed his back against Otabek's chest, and he let out a soft sigh as the alpha wrapped an arm around Yuri's waist and gently cradled his stomach.

“Just a short rest,” Otabek mumbled softly, his words slurred. “Then...” he dropped of to sleep suddenly, and Yuri felt his hands upon his protruding belly slacken a little.

“Rest as long as you want, Beka,” Yuri whispered, “I'll take care of you until you're better.”

The baby thumped at his insides as though in agreement, and Yuri smiled.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm not 100% sure if ATVs that fit that many people exist, but for the sake of the story if they don't...let's just call it my little invention ;P


	30. Our Baby

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next update will be March 1st. The hospital in this chapter is completely made up. I don't have internet at home, and Broken Telephone Googling was coming up with some weird results, so I decided to create a fictional hospital instead, just in case any Kelowna-dwellers happen upon this story :P (And I promise that the Otabek POV chapter/s are coming, I haven't forgotten.)

Chapter Twenty-Nine – Our Baby

 

Thunder rolled over the house—their _home,_ but instead of it feeling like some sort of ill omen to Yuri, it was calming, like a cooling salve on a burn.

The glass doors that looked out on the lake showed the body of water rippling distantly with the rush of summer rain, while inside the family had gathered around the fireplace with mugs of coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and a plate of store-bought cookies to replace the homemade ones Minami and Phichit had tried to make, and quickly threw out when Yuri began to gag on the scent of orange and cranberry on the air. They all seemed to know that the violent reaction was not a Pregnancy Thing, but rather a response from his time with the trainer, but it appeared as though no one had the nerve to ask him about it, for which Yuri was grateful.

Otabek, in contrast, seemed to be completely fine, which was very strange, given what Yuri knew about what he had gone through, and his actions immediately following their escape.

Otabek was quiet, reserved, and he seemed much more focused on helping Yuri than himself. Every time Yuri tried to broach the topic, Otabek would shut down, like he was some sort of robot whose batteries had run out.

Tonight however, after nearly a month in the new country, both Otabek and Yuri were doing well. The TV was off, and the triplets were their entertainment for the evening. All three of them were lying on a blue baby blanket in the centre of the room; Yuriko was on her back, her little legs and arms flailing excitedly, Viktoria on her belly and wiggling like a fish out of water, and Antonia was still, staring around at the adults with wide eyes while she suckled on her dummy.

Yuuri was stretched out on the ground next to his girls, smiling indulgently while he watched them, and Viktor was on the love seat, a similar expression on his face while he observed his omega. As Yuri was privy to the sweet scene before him, he began to wonder if Otabek would ever look like that once their little one was finally born. Yuri placed a hand on his stomach out of habit, and Otabek covered it with his own, his thumb brushing over the skin gently, lovingly, while another roll of thunder sounded from outside. Makkachin whined at the sound, and burrowed under Viktor's legs, making the alpha laugh as he was tipped over by the dog.

Yuri rested his head on Otabek's shoulder as he watched the little scene before him, and Otabek moved his other hand to Yuri's hair, his fingers trailing idly through the locks while they watched the babies.

“You nervous about tomorrow?” Otabek asked softly, his opposite hand rubbing Yuri's belly gently as he spoke, and Yuri winced as their child gave his innards a familiar, swift kick.

“You mean for the ultrasound?” Yuri asked, and Otabek nodded. “No. Are you?”

“A little,” Otabek replied, “nervous...but excited. I want to see our baby.”

The words _our baby_ left Yuri feeling warm and content, like the sense of perfect safety, and comfort food, and family all rolled into one. He looked around the room again, at his grandfather in an armchair reading one the the books they'd brought over from Russia, at Minami and Phichit on the sofa, talking quietly and giggling occasionally, their mouths spread into wide, happy smiles, and their fingers intertwined carelessly, as though it had taken no thought at all to share such a small embrace. At last Yuri glanced back to Viktor, Yuuri, and their girls. Viktor had moved to the floor with his omega—with Makkachin close on his heels—and Yuuri was laying with his head in the alpha's lap while they watched their children, indulgent, warm smiles upon their faces. It was a perfect sort of peace that surrounded him, and Yuri found it none too surprising that he no longer looked at these people as his friends or acquaintances, but as his _family._

“I'm sorry you missed so much of...everything,” Yuri said suddenly, and Otabek blinked at him in confusion.

“What?”

“I mean...I know that you wanted this really badly, and I'm sorry you missed so much of it,” Yuri explained, his face tinting pink as he spoke.

“I'll be there for the rest of it, and that's okay with me, Yura,” Otabek murmured as he kissed Yuri's cheek and ran his palm over his stomach again. It was significantly larger now, and his belly button had begun to poke out, and Otabek sometimes had to help him stand up. He was still fairly small compared to how big Yuuri had been at six months, confirming for Yuri that he was probably— _thankfully_ —only carrying one.

“I'll make sure you're there the whole time for the next one,” Yuri said as he rested one of his hands over Otabek's. “And I won't...” he trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

_I won't trick you this time_.

“If you want, Yura,” Otabek said at last, and pressed a gentle kiss to his temple. “I would love that, to be there for you throughout everything, but do it for you, not just me. Okay?”

“Deal,” Yuri agreed, arching up to kiss Otabek lightly, and when he pulled back a moment later, he spotted Yuuri holding up a phone and grinning nervously, making it painfully obvious that he had just snapped a picture.

“Sorry,” Yuuri said, though he did not look or sound sorry at all. “You guys were just being so adorable, I couldn't resist.” He turned the phone around, and Yuri saw that the image, far from being gross or ridiculous, actually filled him with a strange sort of warmth.

Yuri saw himself, leaning to the side and curled up next to Otabek. One of the alpha's arms was slung over Yuri's shoulders, and the other was resting on the swell of his pregnant stomach. Yuri's hand was twined with his free one at his shoulder, and their lips were just barely touching, eyes closed, with dual looks of peace upon both of their faces.

“I think we should probably frame this,” Yuri said, and smirked a little when he watched Yuuri's shoulders sag with relief that he wasn't upset. “What do you think, Beka?”

“We could start one of those Family Picture Wall things,” Yuuri offered, smiling hopefully at the others who had all gathered around to look at the photo he'd taken, much to Yuri's embarrassment. “What do you think? Pictures of us, pictures of the kids, and just keep adding and adding...”

“I do believe I have some pictures of Yuratchka from when he was little...” Nikolai mused after he had taken a turn looking at Yuuri's candid snapshot of his grandson.

“Oh, I wanna see Baby Yuri!” Minami cried excitedly, and Otabek chuckled as Yuri went very red under all the attention.

“Me too! Me too!” Phichit added with the same level of excitement.

“ _No!_ ” Yuri protested, but no one seemed to be listening as they chattered and joked, while Nikolai looked on with a warm, amused smile, clearly pleased at the chaos he had created with such a simple statement. “Grandpa, seriously, it's _embarrassing_.”

“I don't know, I think I wouldn't mind to see Baby Yuri either,” Otabek purred into his ear before he kissed Yuri's cheek, and he felt himself flush. Though Otabek's words had been far from what one might consider to be _risqué,_ something about the way Otabek had spoken made Yuri's stomach flutter pleasantly.

“I don't mind if you see, but I don't think the rest of them need to—”

“Now, now, Yuratchka,” his grandfather admonished gently, “you're not being fair. If you let Otabek see your baby pictures, it's only right that the rest do too.”

Cheers surrounded the couple, and Otabek chuckled warmly as Yuri buried his red face in the crook of the alpha's shoulder.

 

~*~

 

The trip to the hospital the next day did not take long. Otabek was driving—amazingly, keeping to the speed limit this time—and the others had chosen to stay behind, but told the couple to bring back some prints of the ultrasound.

Twenty minutes of very careful driving later, they made it into the city. Otabek wove through the mild downtown traffic with the same nervous, _Baby on Board_ type driving for a further ten minutes before they stopped outside a huge brown building that read, _Kelowna General Hospital_ on the front, complete with a rendering of a huge brown bear on the left side of the entryway.

Otabek pulled into a spot near the doors, got out, circled the vehicle, and helped Yuri out of the car while the alpha asked, “ready, Yura?”

Yuri could feel people staring at them while they rushed in and out of the front doors, but Yuri wasn't sure if the stares were because pregnant omegas weren't a common sight in Canada, or from them speaking Russian in lieu of English or French.

“Yeah,” Yuri smiled and placed his hands on his stomach. “I wanna see our baby.” He paused, and looked up at Otabek with an imploring, pleading look in his eyes. “You'll do the talking, right? My English isn't very good for conversation.”

“I'll translate, it's no problem,” Otabek replied as he leant in to kiss Yuri lightly, and Yuri felt, once again, that distinct flutter in the pit of his stomach that had nothing to do with the baby.

They headed into the front doors, Otabek with one arm wrapped protectively around Yuri's waist as they stepped up to the reception desk, while Yuri leant into Otabek's side, appreciating the help as his back began to twinge from the weight of his pregnant stomach. Otabek spoke quickly, apparently sensing Yuri's discomfort, and the omega only caught a few words that he recognized— _pregnant, doctor, country, new, no English_.

The receptionist answered, speaking in a slow, bored tone as she pointed towards the left side of her desk, towards a long hallway. She flicked her pen a few times as she spoke, and Otabek nodded along so often it looked more like he was bobbing his head to a catchy song than listening to someone speak. After less than a minute of conversation Otabek thanked her, and led Yuri away.

“I asked her about our appointment,” Otabek explained before Yuri could ask, “she said we need to sign in first, which is up on the third floor, and they have a few multilingual clerks who can help us.”

“Oh thank _God_ ,” Yuri said as he leant against Otabek's side again. “The whole Not Understanding What's Going On thing was really freaking me out.”

“Maybe we should pick up some English books on the way home,” Otabek teased, and Yuri groaned. On top of everything else, learning a second language was not exactly high on his to-do list.

They took the elevator up to the third floor, and wove through Radiology and the Blood-Testing wing to a narrow hallway lined with doors that all read _Admissions._ On the far left was a line of seats, and a handful of people were waiting their turn, ticker numbers clutched in their hands.

Otabek led Yuri over to one of the chairs, and yanked a number from the machine before he joined his omega to wait their turn. Yuri glanced down at their number (seventy-eight), just as he heard one of the clerks call, “ _number sixty-three!_ ”

Yuri sagged back into his chair with a small huff, and Otabek immediately rested a comforting hand on his knee.

They waited close to twenty minutes before their number was called, and Otabek was quick to ask about the multilingual clerks. Without missing a beat the woman picked up her phone, and she swapped herself out for an older gentleman who seemed to be of Asian descent.

“Hi,” the clerk said in Russian, though the lilt in his voice made Yuri suspect that he might be Vietnamese. “How may I help you today?”

“We have an appointment at two o'clock to see a radiologist for an ultrasound,” Yuri explained, “we haven't seen a doctor yet...erm, in this country.”

“Do you have a medicare card?” he asked, and Yuri nodded as he fished out his wallet and pushed the crisp plastic card across the table. Thanks in no small part to the OLF, all the paperwork that should have taken the better part of six months had been pushed through in a matter of weeks, and both Yuri and Otabek had all the necessary documents to keep the government from deporting them. Knowing that he was safe was a nice, albeit foreign feeling, one that Yuri was still getting used to.

“Okay, so I just need to get your hospital card set up, then I can send you on your way. So, let's see here...” he tapped a few keys on the computer he sat in front of as he said, “Yuri Plisetsky...age nineteen, birthday March 1st, 1999, sex, male, secondary sex, omega, civil status, bonded...born in Moscow, Russia, current address 2167 Collens Hill Road, Kelowna, British Columbia, Postal Code V1Z 2H8...Is that all correct?”

“We're not...” Yuri glanced at Otabek, “I mean...it's just that...” he felt his face heat up as he tried to come up with an explanation. Instead, the man smiled, and clicked his mouse a few times.

“Would Domestic Partnership be more appropriate?” he asked kindly, “it just means that you live together, but the omega is not necessarily marked.”

“Yeah,” Yuri replied as he relaxed a little. “That works.”

“All right, perfect,” the man said as he tapped away rapidly on the computer, filling in the necessary information. “All I'm missing then is a phone number and emergency number.”

Otabek gave his and Viktor's numbers, and less than a minute later Yuri was holding a new, white hospital card in his hands, while the clerk directed them back to the Radiology wing of the hospital. Yuri was too busy staring at the card to listen, but Otabek took it all in, so he wasn't worried.

As Otabek led Yuri from the Admission area and over to Radiology, he was already starting to dream about having a nap. He leant a little more against Otabek's side, staggering a little as he walked, and eyed the wheelchairs as they crossed out of the Admissions wing, but Yuri was quite keen to not draw _more_ attention to himself, and instead resigned to the act of walking (or, more accurately, _waddling_ ) to Radiology with Otabek's arm at his waist.

Otabek took care of speaking to the receptionist while Yuri plopped down in one of the available chairs with a heavy sigh, and buried his face in his hands.

_I wish I knew why I was so tired..._ Yuri thought as he stifled a yawn, _maybe I'm just stressed. I used to get sleepy instead of stressed, so maybe that's it..._

“Tired?” Otabek asked as he sat down, and Yuri responded by resting his head on Otabek's shoulder.

“When we get home I think I need a nap...” Yuri mumbled, his eyes shut, and he felt Otabek's shoulder tense. Yuri blinked in confusion and opened his eyes, gazing up at Otabek in confusion. “Something wrong?”

“No,” Otabek replied quickly, and Yuri eyed him quizzically. “Seriously, it's nothing.”

Yuri didn't believe him, but decided it might be better to not push, and closed his eyes again to doze while they waited for their turn with the doctor.

 

It took less than ten minutes for them to be called, and a nurse in pale green scrubs led them down a narrow hall to a room with a plastic '10' on the door, and jabbered to Otabek in English for a moment while she waved vaguely at the available hard-backed chairs next to the ultrasound machine and reclining seat.

“Your English must be improving,” Otabek teased as Yuri waddled towards one of the chairs, “I didn't even need to translate for you this time.”

“When a nurse points at a few chairs it's not exactly rocket science to assume she means _have a seat_ ,” Yuri replied with a small snort. “What else did she say?”

“ _The doctor will see you shortly_ , _blah, blah, blah_ , the usual,” Otabek said as he sat next to Yuri. “You know everyone is going to be really excited to see the ultrasound photos and everything when we get back, do you think you'll be up for that? You've been pretty exhausted ever since we got here.”

“Honestly? Probably not,” Yuri replied, and yawned again. “I just really _really_ want to sleep, I don't even know _why_ I'm so damn tired...”

“You're in your third trimester, baby,” Otabek murmured as he pulled Yuri into a gentle half-hug, and kissed the top of his head. “It's normal. When we get home you can sleep as long as you like.”

“Sounds like heaven,” Yuri mused as his lifted his head, and they shared a kiss just as the door snapped open and a doctor bustled inside.

The doctor and Otabek spoke back and forth, and Otabek gestured to Yuri a few times. Once more he caught a few words, _no English, first doctor, Canada._ It was enough that Yuri had a vague idea what they were discussing, but Yuri felt no better about the situation—the inability to understand was deeply uncomfortable, and Yuri hoped that the next time they showed up here, he would have mastered enough English to speak to the doctor himself.

Or cuss him out, if they showed up while Yuri was in labour.

“Yuri,” Otabek said while he brushed his hand over the top of Yuri's, drawing his attention back to the alpha. “She wants you to get into the chair and lift up your shirt, and to brace yourself because the gel she'll use for the ultrasound will be a little cold.”

Yuri nodded once, and reached for Otabek's hand properly. Their fingers laced together, and the doctor smiled as she watched Otabek help Yuri up, and they approached the reclining chair together. The omega eased back onto it while the doctor said something to Otabek, and he smiled, offering the back of Yuri's hand a quick kiss before he let it go, and stepped back over to the chairs they had been using before. Yuri was about to protest when he saw that Otabek was simply dragging one of them closer, enabling him to sit at Yuri's side. He took the omega's hand again and Yuri squeezed it lightly, while he used his free hand to tug his T-shirt up and over his baby bump.

The doctor smiled at him reassuringly as she snapped on a pair of rubber gloves, picked up a white tube, and said something that made Otabek laugh.

“What did she say?” Yuri asked, his breath hitching a little as she squeezed a sizable glob of cold blue gel onto his stomach.

“She said, ' _let's see what's cooking in the oven.'_ ”

“I don't get it. Is my stomach too hot?” Yuri asked, and Otabek snorted.

“No, no,” Otabek replied between chuckles, “it's just a phrase. It means, _let's see how your baby is growing_ , sort of thing.”

“Oh.” Yuri felt his face flush in embarrassment, but he was quickly distracted when he saw the doctor pick up a white wand-like contraption, and flick on a little TV next to her. Yuri recognized it as the ultrasound machine, and his breath caught with nervous anticipation.

The doctor pressed the device in her hand to Yuri's stomach, albeit a little harder than Yuri had anticipated, and his gaze shifted to the screen.

A black and white, pixelated image bloomed into view, and Yuri blinked as tears came to his eyes. A rounded head, the body curled in on itself, a little fist up near the mouth, and the umbilical cord spiralling out of the image. The doctor spoke, and Otabek translated, “ _there's our baby_.”

Yuri sniffed, and Otabek chuckled warmly as he wiped away Yuri's tears with his free hand. Yuri couldn't tear his gaze way from the image, the way the baby would shift, and at the same moment Yuri would feel a flutter in his stomach of movement, like his child was rolling over in sleep while they dreamt. The doctor moved the ultrasound-wand-thing, and they got another angle, and Yuri laughed a little as he gazed up at the child. Another tear streaked his cheek, and Otabek once again wiped it away.

The doctor spoke, and Otabek nodded. He turned to Yuri, but Yuri once again did not—refused to—look away from the image of his child. “The doctor wants to know if we want to know the sex, and that our baby looks fine, does not appear to be in any distress, and that you're about eight and a half months along, by her guess, and could go into labour at any time, but it could be another four weeks or so. She said you're going to start getting...um... _practice_ labour pain soon, too, if you haven't already.”

“I want it to be a surprise,” Yuri replied as he shook his head, keeping his suspicions about the baby's sex to himself. “But if you want to know, she can tell you. I know what _girl_ and _boy_ is in English though, so make sure you whisper. Can you ask her how bad these practice labour pains will be? I don't remember anything like that happening yet.”

Otabek translated, and the doctor laughed warmly, as though it was a question she'd heard dozens of times before. She responded, and Otabek grimaced. Yuri swallowed nervously as he his eyes darted between the two, and when the doctor turned her back on them to jot something down on a piece of paper, Otabek moved to translate once more.

“She said it's not really pain-pain, but more like pressure, and that it's difficult to describe, but more intense than heat pain,” Otabek said, and Yuri grimaced. “She also said that if they last more than two minutes it's likely a real labour pain, and not one of the practice ones, and we need to come to the hospital when that happens.”

Yuri wanted to rub his stomach, but it was still covered in the blue goo. Instead he glanced back to the screen, where his baby was still displayed prominently, while Otabek got up and began to whisper with the doctor, and broke into a smile when she answered him. Yuri smiled as he watched his alpha, then glanced back to the image of his child. The idea of more pain scared him, but somehow seeing his child like this, he knew that it would be worth it.

 

~*~

 

On the way out of the hospital, a cream manila envelope in hand sporting the pictures of the ultrasound and a USB key with the digital versions, Otabek surprised Yuri with a treat.

“Just one won't hurt the baby, I double-checked with the doctor,” Otabek said with a warm smile as he offered Yuri a paper coffee cup, dark brown with an oval-shaped logo in red on the side. “You said you were tired, right?”

_Coffee._

A swell of emotion filled Yuri's chest as he accepted the cup, and he sniffed sharply as Otabek stared at him.

“Yura?” Otabek asked uncertainly, “are you okay?”

“Oh, Beka,” Yuri sniffled between pathetic half-sobs, “this is just...just...so _nice_. You're so thoughtful. I _love_ coffee...oh, and you.”

“Do I come in second to coffee?” Otabek asked teasingly while he produced a tissue, and Yuri mopped his streaming eyes.

“Only because I need to limit how much coffee I drink right now, and you I can have as much as I want,” Yuri replied between sniffles. “I—I'm sorry, I don't even know _why_ I'm so damn weepy...”

“It's the hormones,” Otabek explained patiently, “makes you react...differently, sometimes. I once saw a pregnant omega making pasta and crying because the bubbles were _just so fluffy_ , so this is nothing.”

Yuri laughed weakly, and leant into Otabek's side as he flipped open the plastic tab on the cup, and the sweet aroma of the dark roast filtered up into his nose. He let out a tiny moan as Otabek began to steer him towards the exits, mumbling something about them having another appointment next week, while Yuri sipped on his coffee, savouring it like it had been a gift from the Gods.

While Yuri nursed his drink, Otabek's left arm still around him, his right hand was tightly gripping his phone, and he was texting vigorously. Yuri craned his neck, trying to see who he was texting, but the moment that Otabek spotted him, he casually lifted his phone higher and tilted the screen away from him. Yuri scowled.

“Who are you texting?” Yuri asked.

“No one,” Otabek replied quickly— _too_ quickly, Yuri noted. He frowned, and Otabek mirrored the expression immediately. “Come on, Yura, don't look at me like that. If I tell you, it'll spoil the—the thing.”

“Spoil the what?”

“Nothing.”

“You're a terrible liar, Beka.”

“I love you?”

“Yeah, I love you too, but that's not the point— _who are you texting?_ ”

“No one!”

“Well, obviously _no one_ has a lot to say,” Yuri said sourly, and Otabek frowned.

“That's not fair,” he said, “I promise it's nothing bad, and you'll find out soon enough, but if you find out early, I'll be in big trouble.”

“In trouble with who?”

Otabek didn't answer, and just went back to texting. Yuri huffed, but Otabek did not engage him in any more conversation as they wove back to the car.

Yuri huffed, irritated that he wasn't in on... _whatever it was,_ but Otabek was being infuriatingly stubborn, and even when Yuri went on his tiptoes to try and see the screen, Otabek simply lifted the phone higher, and out of his line of sight. Asshole.

Yuri drank his coffee in silence, his expression sour, and winced when the baby kicked him in the bladder. Otabek didn't respond, and instead tucked away his phone as they got into the car and drove off in silence.

 

Otabek flicked on the radio when it became obvious that Yuri was too annoyed to talk to him, and a marathon of The Ramones escorted them home, Yuri tapping his foot along to _Do You Remember Rock N' Roll Radio?_ as they went, and the sweet sounds of the '70s punk did help him to calm down a little—though he was still mad at Otabek for keeping him in the dark.

When they pulled up outside the house, Yuri blinked with confusion, and Otabek smirked knowingly. A cluster of balloons had been tied to the iron banister just outside the front door—pink, light blue, and spring green. Colours, he knew, that signified both baby girls and boys, as well as baby alpha, beta, and omega.

“What's going on?” Yuri asked, but instead of answering, Otabek merely smiled knowingly.

“Come on,” he said, “let's get inside.”

Otabek killed the engine and got out, circling the vehicle as Yuri unbuckled himself, grabbed the prints of the ultrasound as well as his mostly-finished coffee, just as Otabek opened the door for him.

Yuri asked again what was going on, but Otabek didn't answer as he wrapped an arm around Yuri's waist and guided him to the door. Now, he had a vague suspicion as to what was happening, and as he opened the door his guess was immediately confirmed by the blast of noise that followed.

“ _SURPRISE!_ ”

Yuri blinked, staring first at the grinning faces of Yuuri, Viktor, Minami, Phichit, and his grandfather all bearing gifts in bright paper, all of whom were surrounding him, to the decorations that had been tacked to the ceiling and walls—sparkling garlands, tendrils of twisted streamers in more pink, blue, and green, the dinner table was heavy with finger food, along with an enormous, rectangular cake, and still more gifts in the living room opposite, all of which completely obscured the coffee table. The triplets were in their baby pen, more or less ignorant to the festivities, though they did begin to squeal excitedly at the shout of noise from the front of the house.

“What's...what's going on?” Yuri asked, and though, internally, he _knew_ what this was, the question still slipped past his lips before he could stop it.

“What does it look like?” Minami asked with a wide grin. “It's your baby shower!”

“Surprise,” Otabek added with a smile of his own, and Yuri couldn't help it—he grinned too.

 


	31. Almost Perfect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next update will be March 8th. Enjoy! :)
> 
> Note: The Russian words in this chapter were transcribed from Cyrillic by me, so if there's any mistakes please let me know so I can fix it.

Chapter Thirty – Almost Perfect

 

Yuri was ushered inside, surrounded on all sides by his family, and it felt oddly like he'd been put under a spotlight as he kicked his shoes off and was relieved of the ultrasound photos and his coffee, while he ignored everyone and made a beeline for the food. Everyone laughed at this and Yuri felt his face burn, though internally he knew that they were not laughing _at_ him, it still felt like he was being teased.

“Don't you want your presents?” Otabek teased as he sidled up to him, and Yuri smiled weakly as his alpha came to join him at the table. He loaded his plate with cold cuts, crackers, stuffed olives, puff pastry appetizers, and finger sandwiches, along with a tall glass of apple juice, but didn't immediately answer as he stared down at the food.

“Feels weird to be the centre of attention like this,” he mumbled softly, just loud enough for Otabek to hear, and he bowed forward to offer Yuri's cherry-red cheek a kiss.

“Humour them, they're really excited,” Otabek said gently, “it's just this once.”

“You owe me for this,” Yuri muttered, though his mouth was quirked into a small half-smile as he said it.

Now with a platter of food in his hands, Yuri was steered back to the living room, where the coffee table had been buried in a mountain of gifts, and the triplets had been quartered off in a large playpen with a number of toys to keep them occupied. Everyone was passing around the ultrasound photos, cooing at the black and white images or crying over them—the latter mostly being Yuuri, who seemed quite sensitive these days.

_Maybe he's pregnant again_ , Yuri mused with a faint smirk as he sat down with Otabek at his side. _Seeing how things are now between him and Viktor it's not impossible, but he_ did _tell me that he didn't want any more kids...maybe he's changed his mind or something._

“Presents!” Minami cried suddenly, drawing Yuri out of his thoughts and nearly making him choke on the garlic-stuffed green olive in his mouth. “Is it present time?”

“Come on, Yuri,” Viktor added with a wide, heart-shaped smile, “before Minami explodes.”

“Okay, fine,” Yuri replied with an exaggerated groan, though admittedly, he wasn't minding the idea of presents too much, and smiled sheepishly as the first huge parcel was dumped into his lap.

 

Yuri learnt two things very quickly as he unwrapped over two dozen gifts from everyone—first, they needed to hide the scotch tape from Viktor at every single holiday going forward. His fingers ached from how much tape the stupid alpha had used to seal the gifts from himself and Yuuri, and eventually Otabek had simply gotten him an exacto knife to open the gifts with.

Second, they were all terrible sentimentalists, and Yuri could not decide who was the worst—Yuuri, who gave him a huge multi-photo frame bearing pictures of everyone, or his grandfather, who produced an old cat plush toy that Yuri had not seen in nearly fifteen years.

“Koshechka...” Yuri said, his bottom lip quivering a little as he stroked the fuzzy orange and black-striped toy. “I had no idea you kept it.”

“I'd never give away something so precious, Yuratchka,” his grandfather said with a small smile. “For you, or your _mladyenyets_.”

Yuri hugged the plush cat to his chest and offered his grandfather a watery smile, just as another parcel was dropped into his lap.

Along with the more sentimental gifts, Yuri got practical ones, too—onesies, little baby running shoes, baby books, more plush animals, a mobile with little cats and bears on it, a crib, changing table, baby blanket, little baby leather jacket (and matching ones for Yuri and Otabek), and dozens of other things they'd need for when their child was born.

One thing Yuri could not help but notice, despite his attempts to not let it bother him, was that though he'd been spoiled with gifts from everyone, none of the packages had come from Otabek himself.

The final gift was for Yuri, and not the baby, and it was a bracelet of Buddhist prayer beads from Phichit. They were a deep cranberry colour, and Yuri felt a strange sense of peace as he slipped them on, thanking the Thai alpha with a weak smile while Otabek got up with a small stretch.

“Don't move, Yura,” he commanded with a small smile, “I just need to go and get your present. It's upstairs.”

“You got me something?” Yuri blurted out, then felt himself go red at how that sounded. Otabek, in contrast, merely laughed, and leant back in to kiss him once.

“Did you think I wouldn't?” he asked, and Yuri felt his embarrassment spike a little.

“No—yes—maybe? I don't know!”

The others chortled at Yuri's flustered response, while Otabek merely offered Yuri a small half-smile as he turned around and headed for the stairs.

Around him, the others bloomed into conversation, all the while they kept shooting Yuri with excited, knowing glances. Yuri narrowed his eyes at them; what were they up to now?

Yuri hardly had time to contemplate it before he heard Otabek call from the top of the stairs, “close your eyes, Yura, and don't open them again until I tell you to!”

Yuri obeyed, and at the same moment almost laughed aloud. It was amazing, really, how he had gone from blindly hating Otabek to _this_. Past Yuri would have never in a million years obeyed an alpha— _especially_ Otabek—but now...

_Now he's the most important person in my life, and I love him,_ Yuri thought without hesitation, and he smiled to himself as a flutter of movement in his stomach made his smile widen.

_Well, second most important._

Otabek thumped down the stairs, and as his footsteps died under the plush carpet in the living room, Yuri heard a chorus of excited cries from everyone around him, and his eyelids twitched, though he managed to keep them closed.

“Okay, baby,” Otabek said softly, “open your eyes.”

Yuri did, and his mouth dropped open.

“ _Mew_ ,” said the little ragdoll kitten held aloft in Otabek's arms.

Its little face was nearly obscured by the huge red bow around its neck, and underneath it Yuri spotted a black collar studded with false diamonds in the shape of little paws. The kitten was a beige-brown, with sooty paws, ears, and face, and it was the most precious thing that Yuri had ever seen.

“For me?” Yuri asked, and Otabek answered by placing the kitten in Yuri's lap. Yuri sniffled as he reached out for the tiny thing, and it purred as it licked and nuzzled at Yuri's fingers.

“For you,” Otabek replied with a small smile, and reached out to remove the enormous bow. Yuri swatted his hand away and did it himself, and the little kitten shook itself immediately after Yuri took it off, as though relieved to get rid of the bow.

“I...I don't know what to say,” Yuri said, his voice cracking a little as he pet the tiny thing. He'd _always_ wanted a cat, and it was hard to believe that one was now sitting on his knees, and it was _his_.

“ _Thank you_ is probably a good start,” Otabek teased, one arm moving to wrap around Yuri's waist while he leant in to kiss his cheek, and sat back down at his side. “Do you like her?”

“Her,” Yuri echoed as he scooped the kitten up and leant in close, and she responded by licking the tip of the omega's nose. “God, Beka, she's fucking adorable.”

A chorus of laughs followed Yuri's statement, while Makkachin whined trotted over, and tried to snuffle at the kitten. Yuri scowled, moving to lift the kitten out of reach, but before he had a chance to, she hissed and took a swipe at the dog's nose.

Yuri snorted when the dog responded with a number of yelping, frightened cries, and he rushed over to Viktor and tucked himself, trembling, under the alpha's legs.

“Aww, poor Makkachin,” Viktor said in between chuckles as he reached down to pat the dog's head. “Did the little _koshechka_ scare you?”

Makkachin answered with another whine, and Yuri snorted as Viktor and Yuuri both babied the large, trembling dog.

“What do you want to name her?” Otabek asked, drawing Yuri's attention back to the kitten in his hands, while he set her back down on his lap. She responded by jumping up carefully onto his stomach, and curled up contentedly. Yuri smiled, watching as Otabek reached down to stroke her gently, and the kitten responded by purring softly.

“I don't know yet,” Yuri replied, smiling idly as he watched his alpha pet the kitten. “I want to make sure it's a good name though—something _cool_.”

“Something cool?” Otabek asked with a warm chuckle, “not something cute, like Soots, or Mittens, or Waffles?”

“You are officially banned from naming our kid,” Yuri retorted, and Otabek let out a loud snort of laughter. “No, I want a _cool_ name for this cat. Like...like... _oh,_ I know _._ Puma-Tiger-Scorpion.”

“You're naming your cat _what_?” Phichit cut in with a small laugh, and though the Thai alpha probably hadn't meant it as an insult, Yuri glared at him anyway.

“Yeah. Or Potya, for short,” Yuri replied coldly. “Got a _problem_ with that?”

“What? _No!_ ” Phichit sputtered, his eyes widening a little at the omega. “I just...it's a bit weird.”

“It is _not_ weird, it's cool. The most badass kitten in the universe,” Yuri said stubbornly, and crossed his arms. The move jostled the kitten on his belly, but she didn't move from her spot while Yuri continued to glare at Phichit.

Phichit blinked at Yuri, his expression blank, then in a motion of surrender he lifted his hands and turned to Minami, saying, “we'll get a hamster, and we'll name it—”

“— _Cat Food,_ ” Yuri cut in, and Otabek choked on his laughter, while Phichit and Minami offered him a halfhearted glare.

“I think I like Fluffy or Hammy better than Cat Food,” Minami said thoughtfully as he turned back to Phichit, and the alpha grinned as he took one of Minami's hands.

“Or _Harvey the Wonder Hamster_.”

“Yes, I love it!” Minami squealed, and threw himself at Phichit in a hug.

Yuri leant against Otabek, and he immediately wrapped an arm around the omega's shoulders.

“Yuri?” he prompted, “you okay?”

“We were never that barfingly adorable...were we?” Yuri asked, and Otabek snorted.

“I think we have our moments, we're just not as...enthusiastic as them, I guess,” Otabek replied while he reached out to idly stroke the sleeping kitten.

“Good,” Yuri replied, and turned to offer Otabek a quick kiss. “Thank you for the kitten, Beka, she's too adorable for words.”

“I'm glad you like her,” Otabek chuckled, and kissed Yuri again.

 

The party progressed, with Yuri never setting Potya down (nor Potya _wanting_ to be put down, and in fact sat on Yuri's shoulder like a fluffy little parrot) and he offered her bits of smoked salmon while he worked on a miniature mountain of mini quiche and sausages wrapped in pastry.

“Hungry?” Otabek teased when he brought Yuri another glass of apple juice, and Yuri narrowed his eyes at him, his cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk, and thus was unable to answer.

“It's not me, it's your _kid_ ,” Yuri finally said after he accepted the drink and chased down the food. “I'm eating for two, remember?”

“I remember,” Otabek confirmed as he sat next to him and placed a hand on Yuri's belly. “I'm so excited for us, just a few more weeks...”

“Next time, we'll do better,” Yuri said, his voice softening a little so that the others wouldn't overhear them. “You'll be there for the _whole_ thing.”

“Yura, I'm not upset about how this all turned out...not anymore,” Otabek explained as he leant in to kiss Yuri's temple. “You did what you had to do, and it kept you from being badly hurt. I can't fault you for wanting to protect yourself; you've had a hard life, and I didn't exactly make it any easier at first, so you're used to using what you have to survive, and that's okay.”

“Don't you ever get tired of being so perfect?” Yuri asked, and Otabek chuckled warmly.

“I think if I was perfect, I would have worked out faster that the way I was treating you in the beginning was totally awful,” Otabek remarked, “I think about it a lot, you know, how strong you are, and how shitty I was, and how if you were anyone else I would have royally fucked you up—”

“— _language,_ Otabek!” Viktor interrupted, “there are children present!”

“Sorry, Yuuri,” Yuri called, and Otabek snorted.

“Hey!”

Otabek chuckled again as he turned back to Yuri, and caught the blond's lips in a warm, quick kiss. He opened his mouth to speak, but Yuri got there first.

“I don't want to talk about how our relationship started,” Yuri said, “or how shitty you were, or any of that. You smartened up, you got better, and now things are just...amazing. We have a family, a _real_ family of people who care about us, a baby on the way, and a place where we are _safe_. I don't want to talk about our bad pasts, I just want to focus on the future.”

“How did I get so lucky to find an omega like you?” Otabek asked as he nuzzled the side of Yuri's throat gently, making him giggle.

“You picked me out of line, probably 'cause I'm pretty,” Yuri teased, and Otabek snorted, though there was sadness in his expression too.

“I'll make up for all that, I promise,” Otabek murmured, and moved in to kiss him again.

“You can start by getting me something else to eat,” Yuri teased, and held up his empty paper plate. Potya mewed from his shoulder as though in agreement, and the alpha laughed as he nodded and accepted the empty plate, and headed dutifully for the table.

 

The food was consumed, Phichit and Yuuri took too many photos of Yuri cutting the barfingly adorable cake covered in teddy bears and candy balloons, and as far as Yuri was concerned, it really was a perfect day.

Until Minami—albeit unintentionally—changed it from perfect to _almost_ perfect.

It was evening, maybe six or six-thirty, and Yuuri was transporting the girls to bed while the alphas wrapped up the leftover food and put it away. Yuri felt a little awkward about being unable to really help, but then Minami, with a cheery expression plastered across his face, _said it_.

“Well, Mama, let's get all this stuff upstairs!” he chirped happily, and immediately Yuri's world was consumed in black.

 

~*~

 

“ _Let us see if Mama has learned his lesson. Omega, who are you?”_

“ _No one,” Yuri answered immediately..._

 

_~*~_

 

“ _All enriched with everything the alpha's gift needs,” the trainer said, filling the silence as he caressed Yuri's stomach with terrifyingly gentle touches, and Yuri struggled to keep from lurching away from the contact. “We mustn't hurt the baby. Remember, Omega, that is all anyone cares about. The alpha gave you a great gift, and your importance remains only as long as you carry that inside you. Once the child is born, we do not care about your body—it is forfeit, and the real training will begin...”_

 

_~*~_

 

Blinding white impeded Yuri's vision through the horrible memories, and he let out a short cry. Had everything with Beka and the others been a hallucination? Was he back with the trainer?

“No, _no..._ ” Yuri said tearfully, and a warm hand ghosted over his. He tried to jerk away, but his movements were slow and sluggish. “No, _please.._ ”

“ _Yura...Yura, baby, it's all right, you're safe, they're not here..._ ” a familiar voice said, and Yuri whimpered again, shaking his head. This torture was too real. He couldn't open his eyes and not see Beka, he wanted to hold on the hallucination they'd created just a little longer. “ _Yuri, please, you need to calm down or they'll kick me out...come on, sweetheart, open your eyes for me, please?_ ”

“No...not real...Beka, _Beka_...” Yuri whimpered, a tear leaking from his shut eyes, and a soft thumb immediately brushed it away.

That small action made Yuri go still—his trainer had never bothered to wipe his tears before.

Haltingly, Yuri cracked his eyes open.

Blurry at first, slowly his vision sharpened, and the most curious scene came to his eyes.

Otabek sat there, smiling warmly in a hospital chair, in a hospital room. Why was Otabek in a hospital?

Yuri blinked, and looked down at himself.

Yuri was lying in bed, a collection of tubes were taped to the back of his left hand, pumping something into his system. He was in a pale green hospital gown, and a thin blanket had been pulled up and over his baby bump, with a knitted throw blanket that he recognized from home draped over him as well.

“What...” Yuri shook his head as he began to panic, like a fearsome beast crawling up his throat, he suddenly wanted to _scream_. Yuri shook his head again, and his head spun. “What...what happened? Why am I here?”

“You went into early labour,” Otabek said with a small frown, “from a severe panic attack and episode of disassociation. They stopped it with drugs, and the nurse gave me an earful about the complications of a birth too early for an omega. She suggested we go over triggers with you to keep this from happening again, and to get you into therapy. She wouldn't listen when I tried to explain that your English isn't good enough for that yet. I think she thought it was _me_ who was abusing you and caused all this...Oh, and she said you're bed-bound for the rest of your pregnancy.”

Yuri blinked. He stared at Otabek, who looked nervous and uneasy, like he'd eaten a bad clam.

“What does that mean?” Yuri asked, “bed-bound...like I can't leave bed at _all_?”

“You're only allowed up for bathroom breaks. The doctor and nurse any extra stress—”

“—so get this kid out of me _now_!” Yuri interrupted angrily, “I can't just...just _sit here_ for another month!”

“You _won't_ , Yura—”

“—you just _said_ that I wasn't allowed to get out of bed for a month!”

“—yes, but—”

“—and now you're saying I _can_ , so stop saying opposite things and be fucking clear!”

“Yura, I'm trying, but—”

“—no you're not trying!” Yuri choked as tears came to his eyes, “I just had a fucking panic attack so bad I almost popped our kid out during a blackout, and now you're not being very helpful at all—!”

“ _Yuri!_ ” Otabek shouted as he leapt to his feet.

“ _Don't yell at me!_ ”

“I'm not yelling!” Otabek cried while he lifted a frustrated hand to his hair, and he began to pace. “You're not listening! You need to calm down, or you might hurt yourself, or the baby.”

At the threat that his anxiety might hurt his unborn child, Yuri's jaw snapped shut. He was sniffling a little and glaring at Otabek, who was still pacing. Yuri took a few slow breaths, but they didn't exactly make him feel any better. When he at least appeared to be calm, Otabek sat down next to him again, and took his hand.

“We aren't leaving you here for the rest of your term, Yura, we're taking you home, but you need to stay in bed. We can bring our bed down to the living room so you won't feel left out of everything, or something, and a _lot_ of beta women and omegas have to do this at the end of their pregnancies—I heard Yuuri did, too.”

Yuri flopped back against his pillows with a soft groan. “This was not how I expected the end of today to go,” he mumbled miserably, but relaxed a little when he felt Otabek offer his hand a gentle squeeze.

“It'll be okay, Yuri,” Otabek murmured consolingly, “just you wait and see.”

Yuri huffed and nodded, but despite Otabek's reassurances, he seriously doubted it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I am aware that for a normal pregnancy in the real world at this point a birth would probably be safe, and it'll be explained further why it's safer to wait in the upcoming chapters ^.^


	32. A Good Alpha

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: At last, the Otabek POV chapters have arrived! :D next update will be March 15th.   
> **Trigger Warning: This chapter contains spousal abuse (emotional, physical, and sexual), child abuse/corporal punishment, and the loss of a child in childbirth in the italic segments.**
> 
> A note on the Kazakh words in this chapter: I found two translations for Mother/Father during my research, and I couldn't get a clear answer on what term was more appropriate to use. Ana/Sheshe for Mother, and Äke/Yeka for Father. I went with the latter spellings because they felt more familiar and more likely for a child to use, and I am pretty sure the former ones are more formal. If someone who actually speaks Kazakh stumbles across this fic and thinks I'm wrong please let me know, and I'll adjust it.

Chapter Thirty-One – A Good Alpha

 

Otabek hated himself. All his alpha instincts screamed at him as he stepped out of the hospital, climbed into his car, and drove away from the hospital— _without_ Yuri.

Of course, that wasn't to imply that Yuri was _alone—_ Nikolai, Minami, and Yuuri—along with the triplets—had all come to stay with him and keep him company while Otabek went on ahead to help Phichit and Viktor rearrange the living room and carry his and Yuri's bed downstairs— _Alpha work_ , supposedly. It felt weird, and sexist, but oddly necessary at the same time.

And still, despite the logical parts of his mind telling him he needed to get home and help Viktor and Phichit do what needed to be done, he still felt like it was _wrong_ to leave his omega behind at a time like this.

Otabek drove, and tried to keep himself from thinking. He knew his father had done similar things for his mother, after all, this was nothing new. An omega needed love and care, especially during this time of their pregnancy—at least on that, his father had been right.

 

~*~

 

“ _Son, you are eight now, and your sheshe needs our help, because his only job is having my child, and he is almost ready to have it, do you understand?”_

“ _Yes, Yeka,” Otabek said as he gazed up at his father, “it is very important that he gives you babies.”_

“ _This is the first one your sheshe has managed to give me since you, it is indeed_ very _important,” he agreed with a nod, “and one day you will choose your omega, and they will be ana to your children. If you are lucky, he will be more fertile than your own sheshe. Always, always have a doctor check his fertility before you sign the papers, Beka, because there is nothing worse than an omega who cannot give you children.”_

_Otabek turned to the sofa where his sheshe was sitting. His eyes were focused hard on the coffee table and shiny with tears, while his hands were tightly clenched into fists. His yeka chuckled, and leant past the huge, rotund belly to peck Otabek's mother on the cheek._

“ _Omegas are so sensitive,” he remarked fondly, as though his mother had not been able to hear the alphas talking._

 

~*~

 

Phichit and Viktor were outside when Otabek pulled up in front of the house. Phichit was hopping up and down like a rabbit on steroids, and Viktor had his arms thrown above his head, while Makkachin was curled up in front of the door and watching them lazily. Otabek pulled off his sunglasses to make sure that he wasn't seeing things, but the odd scene, unfortunately, didn't change.

“What the hell are you two doing?” Otabek asked as he exited the car, and both of the alphas grinned at him.

“Stretching!” said Viktor with a grin, “the key to any successful physical activity is to always stretch first. It's rule one in the...book of physical activity.”

“That's not even a thing,” Otabek retorted with a small snort, “and we're moving a bed, it's not like we're planning to attend some sort of figure skating competition or something.”

“Oh, _please_ ,” Viktor snorted, “could you really see any of us figure skating?”

Laughter surrounded them as they headed inside and moved upstairs. Potya immediately followed them, effectively scaring off Makkachin in the process, and mewed as she wove through Otabek's ankles.

“Oh, this is an accident waiting to happen...” Otabek muttered as he scooped the kitten up, then dropped her into the bathroom and shut the door before she could escape. When he turned back around, both Viktor and Phichit were staring at him with raised eyebrows.

“If either of you tattles on me to Yuri and tells him I locked his cat in the bathroom, I will put your hands in warm water while you sleep,” Otabek threatened, and Viktor blanched, while Phichit's expression shifted to confusion.

“What would that do?”

“It makes you pee the bed,” Viktor filled in, and Phichit's eyes widened.

“Okay,” he said quickly, “I won't tell.”

“Good,” Otabek said as he nodded once, “come on, we have a bed to move.”

 

~*~

 

“ _Sheshe?_ ” _Otabek asked uncertainly, and peered into the hospital room. His mother was wiping his eyes and sniffling a little. His belly was flat, but Otabek could see no baby. “I saw Yeka storm out...are you okay?”_

“ _Zha`nym, come in,” his mother said, his eyes growing glassy again as he reached out an arm to him. Otabek went to him and sat on the edge of the bed. His mother wrapped him in a warm, comforting embrace, like he used to do when Otabek was smaller. He hiccoughed as more tears came to his eyes, and retracted one of his arms from around Otabek to touch his flat belly with a trembling hand._

“ _Your Yeka is very upset, because Allah saw fit to take your baby brother to Paradise the moment he came into this world. Yeka does not deal well with sad things, he just needs some time.”_

“ _Should...should I go?” Otabek asked nervously, uncertain what to say or do. His father had never told him what to do in these sorts of situations. “I'm sorry, Sheshe, I...I don't know what to feel.”_

“ _It is all right, my precious Zha`nym, just...just pray with me.”_

_Otabek nodded, and he helped his mother to wash, then turned towards the Qiblah. He was too weak to get out of bed, and so Otabek unlocked the wheels of the bed and turned it himself while his mother donned his Omega Taqiyah._

_Otabek withdrew his own from his pocket and pulled it on his head, and knelt on his prayer mat next to the bed, while his mother bowed as far forward as he could, and covered his face as he began to pray._

 

 _His mother's voice broke during his prayer, and he began crying again. They finished the prayer together, murmuring, “_ _Assalamu Alai'kumWarah'matullah,”_ _before Otabek stood back up, rolled his mat up as hastily as he dared, and pulled his mother into another hug. He wept into Otabek's shoulder openly, while Otabek wondered, 'Just what sort of god would take a baby away?'_

_He didn't dare to speak the blasphemy out loud, and hugged his mother closer._

 

_His father did not return to the room, but when Otabek stepped out not long after to use the bathroom, he let out a cry of surprise as his father grabbed him, and pushed him into the nearest wall, a hand at his throat._

“ _Yeka—!” Otabek protested in shock, but his father refused to hear it._

“ _What the hell were you doing in there?” his father hissed, softly enough that it was unlikely that any passer-bys would overhear. “_ Praying _not just in the presence of an omega, but a cursed one, who bears no fruit? You know better, Otabek!”_

“ _But Sheshe was upset!” Otabek protested, “he asked me to pray with him, I thought it would make him feel better!”_

“ _I don't care if your sheshe was crying a flood of tears the size of the Pacific Ocean!” his father snapped, “you have_ shamed _me! In public!”_

“ _I'm sorry, Yeka—ah!” Otabek yelped as his father slapped him, and tears sprang to his eyes._

“ _You wait until we get home, boy,” he snarled, “for this, I'll make you wish you've never been born.”_

 

_~*~_

 

The trek between upstairs and downstairs had never seemed like much of a big deal to Otabek, but with a big mattress supported between three people, it was a completely different story.

After the disaster of disassembling the bed, which included the headboard falling off and leaving a spectacular dent in the wall, Phichit dropping part of the bed frame on his own foot, and Viktor tripping over one of the stray legs and nearly killing himself, Otabek thought it couldn't get any worse, only to discover that he had been very, _very_ wrong.

“Wait, wait, _stop!_ ” Viktor called from the end closest to the staircase, and both Phichit and Otabek skidded to a halt with a pair of frustrated huffs. “It's stuck again.”

Phichit groaned and bounced his head against the side of the mattress, while Otabek shifted his grip a little to alleviate the soreness in his fingers. He backed up a little, following what Viktor was doing, and they all staggered forward as they made it to the stairs—until the silver-haired alpha cried out, and Otabek stared as the mattress was suddenly yanked from his fingers, and Otabek watched in amazement as it bowled Viktor over, and slid the rest of the way down the stairs and into the living room, where it landed harmlessly against the side of the sofa, which had been preemptively moved out of the way.

Otabek and Phichit found Viktor halfway down the stairs looking a little dazed, and Phichit bit his lip, clearly trying to keep from laughing, while Otabek leant forward and stared into the alpha's bleary eyes.

“Viktor?” Otabek asked, “you okay?”

“Anyone get the number of that bus?” he asked dazedly, and Otabek snorted.

“Phichit, could you get him an ice pack from the freezer?” Otabek asked as he helped Viktor to his feet, and guided him down the stairs slowly.

“Yeah, sure,” Phichit replied with a soft snort. “Man, you rich guys are so _delicate_.” He grinned at Otabek. “Oh yeah, I saw you getting all shifty with your hands, Beka—”

“—only Yuri gets to call me Beka,” Otabek interrupted, and Phichit laughed.

“ _Anyway_ , yeah, okay _Beka._ ”

Without another word, he hopped down the steps and headed for the kitchen.

 

~*~

 

“ _But_ why _do we have to move to Russia?” Otabek demanded, and his father glared at him over the top of his laptop._

“ _Because, Otabek, thanks in no small part to your mother's wretched behaviour, I have been ejected from every respectable social group in this infernal city, and word_ travels _. Your mother has_ shamed _us all in losing that child, and no one can quite understand why I would have bound myself to some_ thing _that could only give me one_ _child, and not many. We will have a new start in Russia; I have selected a fine estate far from society, and we will be left in peace. I can try for more children with your mother, and I have hired an excellent tutor for you.”_

“ _But, Yeka, why can't I just go to school with the other kids my age? I hate being the only one.”_

“ _Don't tell me that,” his father snapped, and Otabek frowned. “It is your_ mother _who cannot seem to grow anything in that barren womb of his, save for you. I have planted many, many seeds, son, I am not to be blamed for the fact that they do not grow.”_

_Otabek let out a shout of frustration, and turned, brushing past his mother, who had been sitting nearby, and stormed up to his room._

 

_~*~_

 

“Viktor, how many fingers am I holding up?” Otabek asked, presenting the alpha three fingers while Phichit offered him an ice pack wrapped in a tea towel. Viktor accepted it, pressing it to the side of his head with a wince, while he shifted his gaze to Otabek.

“Six?” he asked in a wavering, reedy tone of voice that was so obviously false that Otabek could not help but roll his eyes, and Viktor grinned. “Kidding. Three.”

“Okay, you're probably fine, then.”

“Ten bucks says Yuuri morphs into a complete mother hen when he sees that I was run over by a mattress,” Viktor called as Otabek straightened up and headed for the stairs where Phichit was waiting, and the two uninjured alphas snorted loudly.

“ _Twenty_ says both Yuris get into an argument about whose fault it is that Viktor got run over by a mattress, and then Otabek yells at Viktor for making Yuri go into early labour again,” Phichit quipped, and Otabek huffed another laugh.

“And what will Minami be doing while all this is going on?”

“Nothing, because Minami is perfect and smarter than all of you, and he'd know to steer clear of the crazy pregnant omegas and their overbearing alphas.”

Otabek whipped around and stared at Phichit, who blinked bemusedly. “What?”

“Pregnant omegas? _Plural?_ ” Otabek asked, and Phichit cursed.

“Damn it,” he said as he looked up at the ceiling, “I wasn't supposed to say anything yet.”

“How is it that none of us noticed his scent changing?”

“Because all of you are amazingly dense.”

“Seriously,” Otabek retorted while he ignored the jibe, “how?”

“It's a secret,” Phichit sing-songed, and Otabek elbowed him as they made it back to Otabek and Yuri's bedroom, and they began to carefully lift the box spring off the partially disassembled bed frame.

 

~*~

 

_By the time they made it to Russia it was January, and their new estate was half-buried in snow. The sky was grey, and the movers kept slipping on ice hidden beneath the thick powder as they transported item after item into the expansive entryway of the new house._

“ _Careful!” his father barked when two of the movers nearly dropped an antique credenza, “that has been in my family for over two hundred years!”_

“ _Apologies, sir,” one of them grunted, though they exchanged a look that Otabek knew well—_ is this guy for real?

_Otabek hung back with his mother. Their faces were flushed from the cold, and Otabek's olive skin stood out starkly against the white snow around them, while his mother's fair, peachy complexion seemed to blend in, rather than the reverse. His father turned away from the movers to glower at the pair of them, then stomped into the house after the workmen, leaving Otabek feeling confused by his father's attitude, as well as a little bit alarmed._

“ _Sheshe?” Otabek asked, turning to his mother, “is Yeka mad at me?”_

“ _He's just stressed,” his mother replied, patting his back gently. “Your yeka did not want to move here either, you know, but he had no choice. Unfortunately, our culture puts a lot of pressure on an omega's ability to have children, and because I can't have any more, it reflects badly on him.”_

“ _You_ can't _have any more?” Otabek asked curiously, “but...Yeka said he was still trying.”_

“ _Your yeka does not like to listen to doctors,” his mother said with a sad sort of smile. “When I had your...brother, I nearly died from it, and they discovered that carrying children was dangerous for my health. They told your yeka that I could not have any more children, but he felt that the doctor was exaggerating, and every month keeps trying to make more.”_

“ _Does making babies hurt?” Otabek asked, and his mother stared at him as though he'd grown a second head._

“ _No, Zha`nym, it's not supposed to hurt, why are you asking this?”_

“ _Because when that time comes, I always hear you crying, and Yeka yelling...” Otabek explained, and his mother began to laugh, though it was a strangely sad sound. He pulled Otabek into a hug, and he realized belatedly that it was to hide his tears from Otabek._

“ _Oh, Beka,” his sheshe said, “I will explain this to you when you are older. You are only nine, and right now all I want you to worry about is enjoying your childhood, all right?”_

“ _Okay, Sheshe,” Otabek said as he hugged him back, “I'll try.”_

 

_~*~_

 

“You know, if this keeps up, we're going to need to really renovate this house to make room for all the kids,” Phichit remarked as they made it to the living room—much more smoothly this time around without Viktor's enthusiastic 'help'.

“You and Minami planning on adding to the army of children?” Otabek teased, and Phichit barked a laugh.

“Oh, not any time soon,” Phichit said as he continued to giggle. “Could you _see_ us as parents? Plus, Minami has some more healing to do before he'd be ready for something like that.”

“You mean sharing his heats with an alpha?” Otabek asked, and Phichit nodded. “But he seemed to be doing so well.”

“It's all a big act,” Phichit replied with a small, sad smile. “He wants to be well so that Yuri and Yuuri don't worry about him, but he still gets anxious around his heats, and he always looks a little bit grateful when I leave him to it. He's tough—he's _really_ tough, but he's not as strong as he thinks he is. I like the idea of kids, but I like the idea of Minami whole and well more. I can wait.”

“Man,” Otabek said with a chuckle as they set down the box spring on its side and they headed back upstairs together, “where were you when I was growing up?”

“Ah, I guess you had one of those _traditional_ Eurasian upbringings, then?”

“That's one way to put it,” Otabek said sourly, “I don't think I ever saw my mother smile.”

“And where's Momma Altin now?”

“Six feet under the Altin Estate,” Otabek replied, and Phichit lifted his hands to cover his mouth. “She died in childbirth to a stillborn baby when I was nineteen—her fifth stillborn after me, and my dad wrapped himself around a tree a year later, drunk driving. Six months after the funeral, I went to the Omega House and chose Yuri. I thought it would make me feel better, starting my own family, but...it just made everything worse. I don't mean Yuri's attitude towards me, that was totally understandable, but I was just horrible to him, a big mess of grief and longing and other stuff all crammed together...I was a total disaster.”

“Oh, Otabek, I'm so sorry...”

“It's fine, I guess,” Otabek replied as he shouldered a segment of the bed frame and glanced out the window towards the lake with a small sigh. “My mom was probably happy to get out of there; my dad made his life total hell. But the worst part is I _swore_ to be better than my father ever was, and give my omega a _good_ life...and look what happened.”

“You abandoned all your beliefs and fled to another country to save your omega from the harsh regime back home?” Phichit asked, and Otabek whirled around to face him, and the other alpha was smiling at him warmly.

“I didn't do that.”

“Yes you did.”

“Well, not at first.”

“So what?” Phichit demanded, while he began to shoulder his own piece of the bed frame. “We can't change the past, only the future. Sure, things were pretty screwed up a first, but look where you came from! Your dad was an abusive shithead, and your mom had no voice of his own, he could only take it, and hope that your dad didn't turn on you, too. I know how the system works, Yuuri told me everything while we were trying to bust you and Yuri out of those places. If your mom had tried to stand up or raise his voice, your dad would have had the right to take you away from him. Obviously your mother loved you, and he did what he could to protect you.

“Then, when your parents were gone, you were left with a totally screwed up set of morals, but you changed, because of how you feel about Yuri. Yuri _loves_ you, so why dwell on the past when so much good has come around lately? You're about to be a _dad!_ We're moving this big stupid bed so that Yuri won't go stir-crazy while he waits for the baby to come, and we just finished throwing him a massive baby shower, which included the cutest kitten in the universe, so _why_ are you trying so hard to be miserable right now?”

“I...wish I knew,” Otabek said as he laughed weakly, then turned away from the other alpha so that he would not see his tears, as he began to carry the frame down the hall and towards the stairs.

 

~*~

 

“ _Repeat after me,” the tutor said, waving the conductor's baton in his hand as he spoke, and Otabek watched its progression through the air nervously. “An omega's worth rests in his womb.”_

“ _An omega's worth rests in his womb,” Otabek repeated dully, and yelped when the old man thwacked the back of his writing hand hard enough to bruise. “What was that for?”_

“ _Say it with_ feeling! _” the tutor said, like they were doing a drama lesson, and not an etiquette lesson, while he flicked his baton dangerously close to Otabek's hands with every syllable. “An omega does not have the mental capacity to care for itself, you must do it for him. If you do not take these lessons seriously, you will find yourself with a misbehaving omega who will not respect you. Is that what you want?”_

“ _No, sir,” Otabek grumbled as he massaged the back of his hand. He didn't bother trying to point out that the idea of secondary sex organs making someone stupider than him was a little bit crazy—he was already whacked once for that already, and wasn't keen on getting another bruise._

“ _Good, now, we continue—an omega has heats once per month, lasting three to five days. That is the_ only _time an omega can conceive a child. What must their alpha do during this period?”_

_Otabek shifted uncomfortably at the question, but the two-second pause was too long for his tutor, and he hit Otabek on the hand again, making him cry out._

“ _Ow! Don't_ do _that!”_

“ _Answer the question, Mr Altin.”_

“ _A good alpha must take the omega to bed. It eases the pain of heats, and an omega must not reject his alpha, or a punishment must be enacted,” Otabek said, looking away from his tutor as he spoke, his stomach bubbling with unease—why did it feel so_ wrong _to say that?_

“ _Excellent, Mr Altin,” the tutor praised, and Otabek shifted uncomfortably again. “Now, punishments for an omega—can you detail them for me?”_

“ _I really don't—ow!”_

“ _The punishments,_ now _, Mr Altin,” the tutor commanded, and waved his baton threateningly._

“ _Verbal disrespect must be met with a restriction,” Otabek mumbled. “No food past a certain time—unless the omega is pregnant—no outings, no contact with other omegas.”_

“ _Excellent Mr Altin,” the tutor said, “and what of physical disrespect?”_

“ _An omega must never raise a hand to their alpha. An alpha may punish their omega with equal force up to tenfold, most commonly through a beating or whipping, unless the omega is pregnant.”_

“ _And treasonous behaviour?”_

“ _Any attempt to escape their alpha, speak ill of their alpha, or hide a pregnancy must be met with a beating or whipping. It must bruise, otherwise it will not be a sufficient punishment, but it must not scar, for if the alpha chooses to return the misbehaving omega to the Omega House, scarring will lower their...value.”_

“ _And misdeeds during a pregnancy?”_

“ _Physical punishment anywhere except the abdominal area—broken fingers or other limbs, scalding water, or sensory deprivation, but any high-stress situation over a long period may lead to a miscarriage.”_

“ _Oh, excellent, Mr Altin!” the tutor praised, “why, I would say that had it not been for your young age, you would be_ perfect _as a trainer in one of the Retraining Houses. It is a shame you are only fourteen, but if you keep this up, you may wish to consider applying once you turn twenty.”_

_Otabek looked away from his teacher, imitating a humble response so that he would not see the look of disgust upon his face._

I'll treat any omega I get better than that, _Otabek thought fiercely._ He will love me, and I will treat him better than this, I swear it.

 _Outside, thick droplets of rain dotted the window, obscuring the gardens from view. The low thrum would have been calming, had it not been for the painful rapping of a wooden baton across his knuckles for the hundredth time. With a wince, he turned back to his tutor, and prayed that he'd never need to use this so-called_ information _that_ _he was being taught. They resumed the lesson, while distantly, Otabek heard the distinct weeping of an omega—his mother again._

_He pretended not to hear it._

 


	33. Marked

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next update will be March 22nd. Enjoy! This one's a bit on the short side, so apologies in advance for that ^.^;  
>  **Warning: Bit of a bloody/gory scene towards the end of this chapter, I think you can guess what kind, based on the title :P**

Chapter Thirty-Two – Marked

 

“All done!” Phichit proclaimed happily, and Otabek eyed the bed uncertainly.

“Are you sure that this is right?” Otabek asked, and rapped his knuckles against the headboard, which immediately began to wobble ominously.

“Of course, do you think I'm an idiot?” Phichit asked, and Otabek raised his eyebrows. “What?”

“Well...is the box spring supposed to go on top?”

“That's the box spring?” Phichit asked, his eyes widening a little. “I thought it was one of those Russian mattresses!”

“What the hell is a _Russian mattress_?” Viktor asked from the sofa, where he was still sitting with his now defrosted ice pack, and Makkachin curled up at his feet.

“Oh, you know...a hard mattress. Like those nail bed things, but less painful,” Phichit explained, gesticulating wildly as he spoke, and Viktor rolled his eyes, while outside Otabek heard the distinct _crunch_ of gravel from outside, and he cursed loudly as he ran towards the stairs.

“Otabek?” Viktor called as he sat up straighter, “where are you going?”

“I forgot to let Potya out of the bathroom!” he yelled back as he ran, and his response was met with a round of unsympathetic laughter.

Otabek hurried upstairs and opened the bathroom door. Potya meowed indignantly as she immediately darted out and made for the stairs, her fluffy tail pointed high in annoyance. He breathed a sigh of relief when he noted that Potya had not made any messes inside the space, then hastened downstairs to greet the omegas and Nikolai, who had already gotten inside by the time Otabek had returned, and they were all staring at the bed with bemused looks on their faces, except Yuuri, who was busy transporting the triplets inside from the van.

“Is this like a barricade sort of thing?” Yuri asked sarcastically as Otabek joined them, and they shared a kiss in greeting while Otabek guided him pointedly to the sofa. Yuri scowled as he sat down, and Potya immediately hopped onto Yuri's lap, and hissed at Otabek. Otabek pretended to not notice the cat's attitude, while Yuri eyed his little fluffball curiously.

“What do you mean _barricade_?” Minami asked, while he leant forward and tapped the headboard like Otabek had, and it wobbled again.

“Like some sort of protest to your oppressors,” Yuri said, and all the omegas snorted.

“No!” Viktor cried with a note of indignation in his voice, “we were getting the bed ready for you!”

“The Rich Boy Mattress Saga,” Phichit added with a grin, “should we start with when we were trying to disassemble the bed, or jump straight to when Viktor got run over by a mattress?”

“When Viktor _what_?” Yuuri demanded as he rushed into the living room, all three triplets piled into the stroller as he stared at the assembled alphas and omegas.

“Uh oh,” said Phichit with a wince.

“Nice going, dumbass,” chimed in Otabek.

“Viktor, are you okay?” Yuuri asked as he rushed to his alpha's side with the stroller, his eyes wide with concern. Otabek saw Yuri roll his eyes in his periphery, while Yuuri climbed onto the sofa and went over Viktor's bump on his head carefully, like a monkey looking for ticks.

“Yuuri, sweetheart, I'm _fine_. It was just a little bump,” Viktor replied with a smile while he touched Yuuri's cheek lovingly. “Don't listen to Phichit so much.”

“But you could've gotten a _concussion_!” Yuuri protested as he continued to pat at Viktor's head gently, “you need to be more caref—”

Otabek bit his lip to stifle his laughter as Viktor cut off Yuuri's string of concerns with a tender kiss. He heard Yuri scoff and sputter next to him, but something told him that his own omega would not appreciate a kiss at the moment, and so instead he rubbed his back gently while he held him close.

Minami coughed pointedly when Yuuri and Viktor began taking too long, and the omega stepped back from his alpha with a shy little giggle, his face very red.

“Come on, Yuuri, Viktor can watch the kids—you know the old saying,” Minami said as he moved towards the bed, “never get an _alpha_ to do an _omega's_ work.”

All the omegas laughed at this, but Otabek and the other alphas merely stared at each other bemusedly while Yuuri and Minami got to work tugging the box spring and mattress off the bed frame and setting it up properly, the frame clicking into place easily in a way that it hadn't when he, Viktor, and Phichit had been doing it, then watched as the pair effortlessly stacked the box spring on top of it, then the mattress, and at last made the bed before Minami tugged back the comforter and grinned at Yuri.

“Okay, Yuri, in you get.”

“This is so stupid,” Yuri grumbled as he put the kitten aside and stood up, “I feel the same as before, why do I need to stay in bed twenty-four-seven?”

“Do I need to use my Mom Voice on you again?” Yuuri demanded, and Yuri groaned as he rolled his eyes, and as hastily as he could climbed he into the bed, then crossed his arms with an annoyed huff.

“ _There_ ,” he said grumpily, “I'm in bed.”

“It's not so bad, Yura,” Otabek said consolingly, “I'll stay with you, don't worry.”

“Yeah, I can see a lot of resting going on in that scenario—” Yuri hissed to shut Phichit up, and Nikolai chuckled warmly.

“Do not worry, Yuratchka,” he said as he patted his grandson's shoulder consolingly. “The time will _fly_ by, and my great-grandchild will be here before you know it.”

“It _feels_ like forever, though,” Yuri groused, and reached for Otabek's hand, “you're banned from leaving me alone, because otherwise I will _die_ of boredom,” he said and Phichit snorted loudly. Minami elbowed him, but it did not seem to help calm his laughter, and the alpha stepped out of the room, still positively howling, while at the same moment Potya climbed onto the bed with another indignant meow in Otabek's direction while she climbed up onto Yuri's baby bump, and curled up.

“Why is she so mad at you?” Yuri asked curiously as he reached up to pet the kitten, and Otabek distracted himself by picking at the edge of the comforter.

“No clue,” he replied innocently, “maybe she's just moody or something.”

“ _Or something,_ ” Viktor muttered, and Otabek glared at him to shut him up.

“I hate this,” Yuri said with a groan, “I'm already bored as fuck, and you left me to the mercy of all the damn omegas, (“Hey!” said Yuuri) meaning I got to listen to Minami apologize five thousand times while Yuuri cried all over me. You _owe_ me for all that.”

“I wouldn't've minded switching,” Otabek teased as he stretched out next to him, “manipulating this massive bed through the house and then watching Viktor getting run over by a mattress...” he paused, and chuckled, “actually, no, I take it back, I'm keeping that memory.”

“I'm beginning to understand why you two go so well together,” Viktor said dryly from the sofa, where he was still sitting with Yuuri. “You're both terrible people.”

“Yuri's not terrible,” Otabek protested, “he's just crabby.”

“Three guesses why,” Yuri grumbled. “I'm as big as a house, _everything hurts,_ I get a magical new pain or ache every day, and I have a kickboxer trapped in my stomach.”

“Where do you hurt?” Otabek asked, straightening up a little, and Yuri glared at him.

“Did you think I was exaggerating when I said, _everything hurts_?” He rolled onto his side, his face set in a scowl, and Potya let out another agitated meow as she fell from her perch, and moved to curl up on the pillow, next to Yuri's head. “My chest keeps getting these stupid stabbing pains on top of the swollen ankles, and sore back, and everything else.”

Otabek caught the gazes of Viktor, Yuuri, Minami, and Nikolai. He motioned vaguely for them to leave them alone, and they did not complain as they all made themselves scarce. Once Otabek was certain that none of them were eavesdropping, he turned back to Yuri. “Did you mention the pain to the doctor?”

“No,” Yuri replied with a grimace, “I figured it was all part and parcel of the whole pregnancy gig.”

“Can I look?”

“At what?”

“At your chest,” Otabek explained patiently, “I think you might be getting ready to produce milk, and that's why it's hurting.”

“Then no, you can't look,” Yuri said crossly, “I won't have you milking me like a fucking cow.”

“That wasn't what I was going do,” Otabek countered, trying his best to be patient with Yuri and not stomp off in his frustration at the omega's attitude. “I just want to make sure it looks how it's supposed to, since you didn't mention it to the doctor...unless you'd rather wait, and have them look at it?”

Yuri scowled, and with a dramatic huff, he quickly yanked his top off.

Yuri's chest, by and large, looked normal. His face was flushed with embarrassment as he sat there, his upper arms twitching as though he longed to cover himself up, but he didn't move as Otabek leant in to inspect him.

Otabek brushed his fingers along the edge of the omega's pectoral, being mindful of how uncomfortable Yuri appeared to be, and tried to avoid touching him unnecessarily. Yuri twitched, startled, but apparently not overly upset by the contact. His chest appeared swollen, like he'd been stung by a very big bee, and his nipples were inflated, only slightly larger than they had been before. From his studies, Otabek knew that omegas did not usually grow breasts like beta females did, but still lactated more than enough to feed a child. _One of the mysteries of the omega_ , his tutor had often said with an oracular tone of voice, one which had always resulted in Otabek rolling his eyes, and promptly being rapped across the knuckles by his tutor for his attitude.

“You look fine, Yura,” Otabek said consolingly as he handed the shirt back to his omega, and Yuri quickly tugged it back on. “Aside from all the aches and pains, how are you feeling, about what happened, I mean?”

“I haven't really had time to think about it, to be honest,” Yuri replied with a vague shrug. “I don't really _want_ to think about to begin with, I just want to pretend it never happened. Like...well, with you, and whatever happened... _there_.”

Otabek shuddered, and with a single word, he felt his vision darken, and his mind slipped back to his temporary hell.

 

~*~

 

_Pain, blinding pain, cold laughter as his convulsing limbs dug into the edges of the shackles, cutting almost to the bone and painting the steel red..._

_“No omega is worth this!” a voice shouted at him, “no omega has any rights but that which we give him. You cannot be an alpha, you are too weak-minded!”_

_Painful sores decorating his thighs and buttocks; his weak, wheezy request for a bath and food was met with cruel laughter as the man hit him in the stomach, making him gag..._

_~*~_

“Beka?” a small, distant voice asked, “Beka, are you okay?”

Otabek blinked, and at once the sight of his pregnant omega came back into focus.

“I'm fine, Yura,” Otabek offered with a small smile. “I just want you to worry about _you_ right now. After the baby is born, you can stress over me as much as you want.”

“Too late for that,” Yuri replied with a humourless smirk as he reached for Otabek's hands. “I think about you all the time. I worry, 'cause you're not talking about... _stuff._ After what happened to me, obviously the bottling up technique doesn't work, and I don't want you to fall apart like I did.”

“I'll be here for you, Yuri, and our child—”

“—that's not what I mean,” Yuri interrupted, his gaze dropping to their intertwined hands as he spoke. “I mean...you need to be well just to _be well_...if that makes sense. I don't want you to just force yourself to be okay just for us, you know? I just want you to be _okay._ I want to help you, like you helped me.”

“I don't want you stressing yourself out, not in your condition,” Otabek said as he gave Yuri's hands a small squeeze, then released one as he reached up to touch the omega's cheek. “Can you swallow this obsessive mothering until after our baby is born?”

“On _one_ condition,” Yuri replied sternly, he tugging on Otabek's hand to draw him closer.

“What's the condition?”

“Wrong answer,” Yuri snapped. “You're supposed to say,” he cleared his throat, and began to speak in a high voice that made Otabek laugh out loud. “ _Yes, Yuri, anything for you, you know how I looove you, and I feel ever so guilty for turning you into a beached whale who can't get out of bed for a fucking month._ ”

“Okay, Yuri,” Otabek said with another chuckle, “what's the condition, then?”

“Say it first.”

“Seriously?”

Yuri glared at him again, and Otabek rolled his eyes.

“Yes, Yuri, anything for you.”

“ _And?_ ”

“Yuri, this is—”

“I'm _wa-iti-ng_ ,” Yuri sing-songed, and Otabek rolled his eyes again.

“You know how I love you, and I feel guilty about turning you into a beached whale who can't get out of bed for a month.”

“A _fucking_ month.”

“You're really going to need to curb that potty mouth of yours with all these kids running around, you know.”

“And what will you do if our kid's first words are, _fuck you, Daddy?_ ”

“That sounds oddly sexy coming from you,” Otabek purred, and Yuri snorted as he swatted his chest. “Come on, seriously, what's your condition?”

“Just one little thing,” Yuri replied as he bit the side of his lip, and with a little difficulty, he shuffled forward. “I want you to mark me,” he tilted his head to the side to show that he was serious. “Make us a bonded couple.”

“Yuri,” Otabek breathed, his eyes dropping to the omega's bare, pale neck with wide eyes. “Are you sure?”

“I've been trying to figure out how to ask you for over a month,” Yuri replied, “I've wanted to since I saw you on the plane, I just...I couldn't figure out how to ask you without it seeming like I was doing it for some other reason other than the fact that I love you, and want to be with you.”

“As long as you're sure,” Otabek replied, and kissed Yuri once, his heart hammering in his chest with unbridled joy. “God, Yura, I have been waiting for so long to hear you say that, it means so much that you're asking for it, I just...I love you.”

“I love you too, Beka,” Yuri replied without hesitation, and he offered his alpha a warm smile as he craned his neck a little more. “Mark me, please.”

“This will hurt,” Otabek warned as he inched forward and cradled Yuri's neck in his hand. Yuri shivered a little under his touch, but he seemed eager and impatient, rather than nervous. “Do you want something for the pain? Numbing cream or whisky or...something?”

“I can handle it, Beka,” Yuri replied with a soft chuckle, “just do it.”

Otabek had often thought of this moment, the lead-up to it, and how it might feel to know that he was about to tie someone to him permanently. He'd anticipated excitement, joy, perhaps even arousal, but instead he felt deeply humbled, and a little bit afraid.

_Maybe because I know how much it means for him to ask this, and how much we've gone through to get to this point,_ Otabek thought as he massaged Yuri's throat, but the taut muscles refused to relax, and the alpha smiled with amusement. Despite the lack of fear on his face, Yuri's body told a different story, and he leant in to offer his intended mate a gentle kiss.

“Baby, you need to relax, otherwise it will hurt more,” Otabek said softly. “Are you nervous? Would you rather wait?”

“No, I want you to do it now,” Yuri replied, his voice close to a whine. “I just...this is big for me.”

“Me too,” Otabek said, and Yuri eyed him dubiously. “No, really. Remember what I said when I first...when we first...oh, hell, when I _chose_ you.” Otabek grimaced at the concept. “I always wanted you to choose when you were marked, that's why I never did it. Don't you remember?”

Otabek certainly did—although the the circumstances had been less than pleasant, he did remember wishing to give Yuri the choice to properly choose him or not.

_“I would love for an excuse to have you on my arm during one of these...events...I think you being there might even make it more tolerable. But you still bear all the hallmarks of an untamed, unbonded omega. Unfortunately, JJ is right. Anyone who wants you would be able to snatch you up, and most of them won't be as patient as I am in waiting for you to be_ ready _to be marked.”_

Otabek shuddered with revulsion at the memory. How was it that he could have been so cruel to one he loved so much? It was mind-boggling.

“I remember,” Yuri mumbled, drawing Otabek out of his haze of memory. “But I also remember who you are, what you are— _and_ how you've changed. You're not the same alpha, Beka, and now I trust you, and love you.” Yuri tilted his head to the side again. “Mark me.”

“Your wish is my command,” Otabek said teasingly, making Yuri giggle as he leant in to plant a kiss on the side of Yuri's throat.

Yuri's breath hitched softly, and it turned into a nervous gasp when he heard the _crack_ of Otabek's jaw, the telltale sign that he was preparing to mark him.

It was one of the mysteries of the Alpha; the _why_ and _how_ of it still unknown to science. Otabek knew how to do it, and it hurt like hell. It was the forced change—a lightning-fast metamorphosis from his teeth to his Marking Teeth—they were sharper, and designed to bite deeply, and scar his intended. According to his old tutor, even his saliva was altered at this time, designed to staunch the blood flow, while his sense of smell sought out the omega's jugular, to ensure that the alpha did not bite into it by accident, but bit down squarely upon the bonding gland instead.

Otabek lifted the instructions from his memory, they slightly hazy though the aftershocks of pain in his mouth, and he brushed the tip of his nose along the length of Yuri's throat, until he came to a stop at the base, and he licked a stripe over Yuri's bonding gland. The distinctive shudder and scent of arousal on the air told Otabek that he'd found it, and with one last breath to steady himself, he bit down.

Yuri tensed, and a soft cry slipped past his lips. Otabek held him fast as the coppery taste of his blood flooded his mouth, and he fought the urge to choke on it. He swallowed as Yuri's hands tightly squeezed his upper arms, and he extended his tongue, lapping over the circular wound gently.

At first, the bloody tang did not fade, and Otabek felt his stomach turn over with nausea as he gagged on it. Slowly however, he could feel the skin under his tongue begin to knit itself back together, and when it felt completely sealed Otabek pulled back to see a new, pink scar that decorated his omega's throat.

_His._

_At last._

Yuri, pale from the experience, was smiling warmly—a smile, Otabek knew, that he reserved only for his alpha.

“Thank you, my alpha,” Yuri murmured, and Otabek offered him a smile of his own.


	34. The Weight of Water

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next update will be March 29th. Enjoy! :D (Note: This fic is being pushed up to 40 chapters, but I'm not gonna update the official chapter length until I finish the first draft completely, otherwise I'm pretty sure I'll wind up changing it like four hundred times. :P)

Chapter Thirty-Three – The Weight of Water

 

The weeks began to pass, and despite Yuri's joy at being marked by his alpha, that was the only minor improvement in his otherwise delightfully shitty attitude.

The restless omega whined, complained, barked orders at everyone, and took the long way to the bathroom in order to stay up longer, and, in short, was driving Otabek _insane_.

“If he yells at me one more time, I am going to go _out_ of my fucking mind,” Otabek growled to Viktor under his breath as they wandered down the hallway together, and he offered Otabek a small, apologetic smile. “The baby's only a week late, he doesn't need to bite my head off because I brought him a peanut butter and banana sandwich with smooth peanut butter instead of _crunchy._ He didn't specify until after when he started yelling at me!”

“Be fair,” Viktor replied with a soft chuckle, “it only seems like not a big deal to us because we're not the ones pregnant. I'm pretty sure we'd be singing a different tune if it was the other way around. I know my Yuuri wasn't exactly the most dignified mother-to-be during his last couple weeks of his pregnancy...”

“What was Yuuri like at this time?”

“An oversensitive mess,” Viktor replied with a weak smile as they slowed to a stop in the back room of the house, just off the side of the living room, which they had been slowly converting into a playroom for the kids. “But just...he cried easily. Everything I said Yuuri thought I was mad at him, or that I wasn't attracted to him anymore, or something, then he would start crying.”

Viktor sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. “A big part of it was that we were still dealing with all the crap you and I _un_ learned—thanks to Leo—so I have no idea how much of it was pregnancy hormones, and how much of it was other...stuff.” He winced, a look of guilt registering in his eyes, and Otabek nodded in understanding, although at the same time, Otabek had no idea what to say to Viktor that didn't sound insensitive. Comforting Yuri—when he wasn't pulling a Linda Blair, at least—was easy, but another alpha felt vastly different, and well outside of his skill set.

“So...” Otabek coughed, and cleared his throat awkwardly. “Erm...what did you want to talk to me about somewhere that the others couldn't overhear? Is everything all right?” Otabek asked, keen to shift the subject, but uncertain how to properly apologize to Viktor for bringing up things he'd clearly rather not discuss.

“Breathe, everything's fine,” Viktor said with a small grin, and patted his shoulder once. “I was just checking my Deep Web email earlier—it's an untraceable email that I set up after we left, and I use it to keep up with everything back home, you know, _just in case_.” Otabek nodded, and Viktor continued.

“Well, my contact in the mob got back to me. We put a story out that you had been involved in a plane crash and killed, and the mob has jsut finished their investigation. You're confirmed dead, so they're dropping the hit on you. You're free, Otabek.”

“That's a relief,” Otabek said with a sigh, and chuckled weakly as he ran his hand through his hair, while Viktor grinned at him. He seemed to understand that the reserved reaction didn't mean he was any less thrilled by his newfound freedom from possible death. “Thank you, but...what about Yuri? Is there anyone looking for him?”

“Yuri's under OLF protection,” Viktor reminded him, “no one from Russia can touch him.”

“Good, that's...that's good” Otabek replied, and smiled. “I don't want anyone to ever hurt him.”

“I gathered, from that little bit of new scar tissue on his neck,” Viktor teased, and Otabek grinned bashfully as he dropped his gaze to his feet. “When did you do it?”

“Yuri's first day back from the hospital after his blackout,” Otabek replied as he lifted his eyes back to his friend. “He asked for it, and I did it.” Otabek paused and bit his lip while he turned his gaze back to the closed door of the playroom, but he could hear nothing beyond it. “Was that right? Marking him in his condition?”

“Pregnancy tends to turn omegas into complete and utter psychopaths, but it doesn't _change_ who they are,” Viktor reminded him. “I do know Yuri wanted to ask you for a long time; I don't think the pregnancy would have changed him enough to make him ask for something he doesn't really want—I wouldn't worry about it, if I were you.”

“All right,” Otabek replied, though he still wasn't completely certain, and instead to offer Viktor one last quick nod of thanks before he turned and headed back to the living room. There, he found both Yuris and the triplets sprawled across the bed, two of the children half-dozing, and half watching their mother, while the third held aloft in Yuuri's arms, and giggling as Yuuri gently swung her around. Yuri was watching them, a small smile on his face, and a hand on his stomach, as though thinking about what was to come.

Or, more accurately, what _should_ have come already.

Otabek stepped towards the bed, and Yuri glanced up to offer his partner a warm smile. Yuuri, midway through swinging baby Antonia up in his arms again paused, and nodded to Otabek. He bit his lip uncertainly, the older omega's gaze flitting towards the entryway, but Otabek shook his head, implying to him that he didn't need to leave.

“Hey,” Otabek said as he sat down next to Yuri, and offered him a kiss. “How are you feeling?”

“If you ask me that one more time, I am going to kill you,” Yuri said in a sickly sweet tone of voice, and Otabek snorted. “I'm fine. A bit peckish, though.”

“What do you want?”

“A bowl of fresh Thai peppers, with the seeds.”

“It doesn't work, Yurio,” Yuuri cut in without looking up, and Yuri scowled. “Neither does jumping up and down, or warm baths.”

“What about sex?” Yuri asked desperately, and Yuuri laughed warmly.

“I'm sure your mate wouldn't protest giving it a try, but you're just going to have to be patient, Yurio.”

“What are you two talking about?” Otabek asked, “what won't work?”

“Old Omega Tales about things that can supposedly induce labour,” Yuuri explained with a chuckle as Yuriko began to fuss from her place on the bed, and Yuuri swapped out babies to lift her to his chest without pause, and rubbed her back gently, while Viktor, who had followed Otabek into the room, scooped Antonia back up, and joined Yuuri on the edge of the bed. “There's tons of them, I tried a few at the end of my term too, nothing worked.”

“I want this kid out _now_ ,” Yuri whined as he flopped back against the bed and crossed his arms sullenly. “I'm just _sick_ of sitting around and doing nothing.”

“It could be any time now,” Otabek said consolingly as he stroked Yuri's hair, causing him to whine again as he leant against Otabek's side with a pout. “You just need to be a little patient, then before you know it, our baby will be with us.”

“You know,” Yuuri said conversationally as he hiked up his shirt and brought the still-fussing baby to his slightly swollen pectoral, and she immediately calmed as she latched on. “It's probably a good thing we have like...no neighbours. We're going to have four babies under six months in the same house.”

Yuri's jaw slackened a little while Yuuri continued to smile idly, and the blond cuddled closer to Otabek, as though he wanted to be protected from this new information.

“Why do you look _happy_ about that?” Yuri demanded when Yuuri continued to smile. “It's going to be _chaos,_ especially when everyone starts teething.”

“I've always wanted a house full of children,” Yuuri replied with a faint smile. “Before I was sent to an Omega House, I always wanted lots and lots of kids, so...I don't know, I like the idea of a pack of kids under one roof, loved and cared for, and appreciated for more than their secondary sex organs, you know?”

“Yeah,” Yuri replied as he relaxed a little, and seemed to realize where Yuuri was coming from, and turned to Otabek with a small, thoughtful smile. “I know.”

 

~*~

 

The days passed as so many before it, and nothing changed—save for Yuri claiming he was going to swear off liquids, after being forced to get up so often to go pee.

At the same time, Yuuri and Minami had begun to construct their Family Wall, a segment of the living room wall above the fireplace mantle devoted to photographs of the large family they had all created together. There were photographs of the triplets, of Yuri and Otabek—both together and separately—others of Nikolai, of Minami and Phichit, and even a few photographs of people Otabek did not know, but could recognize easily as the parents of Yuri, Minami, Phichit, and Viktor, but curiously none of Yuuri's father, only his mother.

“Seems like you're missing someone up there,” Otabek remarked teasingly as he watched them hang the photos in matching grey frames from his spot on the bed with his mate.

“Nope,” Yuuri said without turning around, “I have all the good parents up here. Except yours, that is.”

Otabek winced at the jibe, and turned towards Viktor, who had just stepped in from a walk with Makkachin. Apparently, he had heard the conversation, given that he quickly mouthed, _don't ask._

The remark, however, Otabek could not forget. He had no desire to add his father to the Family Wall; he had been an abusive ass, and hardly someone that Otabek wanted to memorialize.

His mother, however...that was another story.

Excusing himself, Otabek slipped upstairs and to his bedroom, which looked curiously empty without the massive bed in it.

Otabek made a beeline for the closet, and fished out a bag labelled, _Otabek's Things—_ personal effects Viktor and Phichit had snuck from the estate while Otabek had been indisposed at the Retraining Centre.

The moment that The Centre came to Otabek's mind, the terrible memories reared their heads. All the pain, suffering, and fear bled together into a dark mass in his head, like a violent whirlpool that was threatening to drag him down into a dark abyss.

Otabek shuddered as he pushed the bad memories back to the far reaches of his mind, and did his best to focus. He unzipped the black duffel bag before him, and pulled out a thin photo album labelled, “Aнa мен Oтaбэк”.

Otabek opened it, smiling to himself as he thumbed through the pages. All the photographs were of him and his mother, something he had hid for many years, and miraculously, his father had never found it. There were pictures of him as a baby, Otabek and his mother at holidays, in Kazakhstan and in Russia...and in many of them, his mother was pregnant. That reminder of what eventually killed the person he'd always felt closest to made Otabek feel slightly sick, but he couldn't tear his gaze from the images, even as they began to warp from the tears misting his eyes.

“Sheshe...” Otabek murmured as his fingers brushed over the images, “I wish you were here. I wish you had been more selfish, and run away from Yeka...I wish...”

A tear dripped onto the plastic covering, and with a weak smile, Otabek wiped it away.

 

~*~

 

When Otabek had calmed down and he was fairly certain that it wasn't obvious that he'd been crying, he made his way slowly back down to the main level of the house. Minami and Yuuri were gone, and Yuri was dozing in bed, a pillow hugged to his chest as he huffed and rolled over, and pitched the pillow away from him at the same moment that Otabek entered the room.

Unfortunately, Yuri's down-filled projectile and Otabek happened to be in the same spot, and he grunted as the pillow hit him squarely in the face with an audible _flump_.

“Okay,” Otabek grunted as he peeled the pillow away from his face, revealing a very red omega, his hands brought up to his mouth in surprise, and his eyes were wide. “What did I do this time?”

“Sorry,” Yuri mumbled from behind his hands, “I didn't see you.”

“It's fine,” Otabek said with a small smile as he moved over to join Yuri in the bed, and he offered the pillow back, which, once more, the omega hugged to his chest. “I have something that I wanted to show you, actually.”

“Something to show me?”

“Yeah,” Otabek offered Yuri a small smile as he steeled himself for what he was about to say. “Something I want to add to our Family Wall.”

“You might need to make some room,” Yuri teased as he motioned to the wall of framed photographs above the mantelpiece, “Yuuri went a little bananas with pictures of his girls.”

“Well, they are kind of adorable, so I think I can find it in my heart to forgive him,” Otabek teased, and Yuri cracked a faint smile.

“So what did you want to show me?” Yuri prompted, and Otabek smiled faintly as he dug into his jacket pocket, and pulled out a slightly curled photograph, which he held out to Yuri.

“This is me and my mother, Tala Altin,” Otabek explained, “during Eid. I think I was seven when this was taken, and we were at the mosque near our home in Almaty.”

“Your mother...” Yuri breathed, holding the photograph like it was a priceless relic of some sort. It was, in fact, Otabek's favourite picture of them. The beautiful mosque in the background, and his mother in a traditional Omega _Taqiyah_ , which was a little longer, and completely covered his dark hair, similarly to a beta woman's hijab. Otabek was wearing his own regular _Taqiyah,_ and he was grinning broadly as he waved at the camera. They were like night and day, with his mother's fair complexion in contrast to his own darker, olive-toned skin, and his mother was not looking at the camera, but instead his gaze was trained down on the little boy at his side. “He's really handsome. I...I didn't realize you were Muslim.”

“Is that a problem?” Otabek asked lightly as he arched a brow at Yuri, and immediately the omega's eyes widened as his face flushed red.

“No!” he protested immediately, “God, _no_. That's not what I meant. I just mean you never talk about it, so I didn't know.”

“I walked away from the faith not long before I turned eighteen,” Otabek explained with a small wince. “My mother was really religious, though. He volunteered at the mosque, he helped disadvantaged omega teens, and fed the poor, and helped single mothers whose alphas abandoned them...it gave him sanctuary, and a sense of purpose, but I never really felt it. I just...I was on the outside, watching my mother lose baby after baby through miscarriage or stillbirth, and my mother would always pray _so hard_ afterwards, for forgiveness, or another chance, I don't know, and I just couldn't understand how it was _right_ that my mother would blame himself, and it was okay that Allah took my siblings away from me, and I just...” Otabek broke off with a hiss when he felt his throat begin to tighten.

“I was angry at God for a long time,” Otabek continued, his voice soft and croaky as he tried to hold it together while he talked with his mate. “At first for taking my siblings, then for taking my mother when I was nineteen. Even though I didn't pray anymore by that time, I still felt angry at Him for taking my mother away from me. I loved him so much, and he understood me like my father never did, then I was left alone with _him_ , and his drinking, and my _stupid_ lessons on how to be a psycho, and...” Otabek trailed off when he saw the look of horror on Yuri's face, and smiled humorlessly at his omega. “Sorry...I didn't mean to ramble.”

“No, it's okay,” Yuri said quickly. “Beka, you _never_ talk about yourself, and I want to know you, like _really_ know you. I won't think you're less of an alpha or something if you open up and tell me about your past, or anything.”

“There's not really much to tell,” Otabek replied with a vague grimace. “I wasn't strong like you. I didn't even _try_ to stand up to my dad, I just...went along with it. I mean, I complained sometimes, but I never did what you did, you know?”

“I'm not _that_ strong...” Yuri mumbled as he cuddled into Otabek's side, and Otabek immediately wrapped an arm around him to draw him closer.

“You are,” Otabek replied, whispering the words into Yuri's hair as he offered the top of his head a gentle kiss. “You didn't care what happened to yourself, as long as you were free. You are so strong, Yuri, it's amazing. I wish I could be more like you.”

A soft squeak broke their silence, and both Otabek and Yuri glanced up to see two pairs of eyes peering in at them from the back deck's sliding screen door. Yuri rolled his eyes first and waved their unwanted guests inside, and both Phichit and Minami bounded over to the bed and plopped down at the end.

“Are we interrupting?” Minami asked, and glanced to Phichit. “We're interrupting.”

“Nonsense,” Phichit chirped, “Yuri invited us. We're totally and completely invalid guests.”

“I think you mean _invited_ ,” Otabek retorted, and Yuri snorted a little. “What do you two want? You're both looking perkier than usual.”

“We were just down at the lake with the others, and Viktoria lost a fight with a crayfish,” Phichit explained, and Yuri's eyes went wide. “So Mummy and Daddy are rushing her to the hospital. Nikolai is watching the other two along with Makkachin, but we just wanted to let you know—”

A sudden squealing of car tires abruptly cut Phichit off, and Minami bit his lip, apparently to keep himself from laughing.

“But is Viktoria okay?” Yuri asked, and Phichit chuckled.

“Oh, she screamed bloody murder, but she's fine,” Phichit replied with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Viktor and Yuuri are just doing the crazy overbearing first-time parent thing. She might need one or two stitches, I don't know how they fix wittle baby fingers, but honestly, she's fine. We saw the whole thing. I think Viktoria's screaming was amped up more by Yuuri and Viktor freaking out, to be honest.”

Yuri frowned, apparently not consoled by Phichit and Minami's reassurances, and he leant in closer to Otabek while he continued to stare at them. Otabek tensed his arm around Yuri, hoping the gesture might silently console him, but the troubled look did not vanish from his face.

“Um, guys?” Yuri asked in a small voice that was not entirely his own. “Could you go and help my grandpa bring the girls back up to the house? I just...” his face flushed a deep scarlet of embarrassment. “I want to make sure they're okay.”

Phichit and Minami exchanged a bemused look, but like Otabek, he supposed that they too could feel how tense Yuri had suddenly become.

“Yuri?” Otabek prompted gently, and the omega placed a hand to his belly with a small wince. “Are you feeling okay?”

“Fine,” he replied quickly. “Just a...just a kick.” He turned back to Phichit and Minami, who were both watching him apprehensively. “Please, guys? My grandpa won't be able to make it up the hill with a squirming baby in his arms.”

“Erm...okay,” Phichit said as he stood back up and reached for Minami's hand, and gave it a small tug. “C'mon Minami, let's go help.”

“Okay,” Minami echoed, following Phichit's lead back towards the screen door, but he glanced back at Yuri and Otabek so often that he stumbled over the coffee table as he went, his expression pinched and troubled.

“Yura?” Otabek asked softly, and his omega turned to him, his eyes whining with worry. “Are you sure you're feeling okay? You're not acting like yourself.”

“'M fine,” Yuri mumbled, grimacing again as he clutched at his stomach, “Bruce Lee is just kicking up a storm...”

“We are _not_ calling our kid Bruce Lee,” Otabek replied teasingly, and Yuri snorted, relaxing a little, though he still seemed to be in pain.

“Jackie Chan?” Yuri offered, and Otabek laughed again.

“No.”

“Goku?”

“ _No_.”

“God, _fuck_ these practice fucking contractions,” Yuri hissed suddenly, “Higgs-Boson, or whatever the fuck.”

“Braxton-Hicks,” Otabek corrected on impulse, and Yuri glared at him. “And I thought you said it was kicking?”

“It was, and then it—” Yuri froze, and Otabek watched as all the colour drained from Yuri's face.

“Yuri?” Otabek asked, but his mate didn't respond. “Yuri, are you okay?”

“ _Not a drill_ ,” Yuri hissed, his eyes wide.

“Wh-what?”

“It's not a practice contraction, you fucking asshole!” Yuri snarled, his eyes wide. “Either I just peed the bed, or _it's happening. Right now._ ”


	35. Dearly Loved

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next update will be April 5th. Enjoy! :) Special thanks to phoenixreal and Jess C for all your help in the labour and birthing aspects of this chapter. You guys are great :D

Chapter Thirty-Four – Dearly Loved

 

“Oh, God,” Otabek said, and Yuri glared at him.

“Invoke your god later,” Yuri commanded sternly. “Hospital. _Now_.”

“What about Minami and the others?” Otabek asked weakly, and Yuri noted that his mate was white as a sheet. All things considered, he didn't care very much at the moment.

“I don't give a good god damn about _anyone_ right now, Otabek,” Yuri shouted angrily, “ _get me to the fucking hospital!_ ”

“Right,” Otabek said as he stood up shakily. “Car. Hospital. Wait—bag!”

“Bag?” Yuri asked, panting a little as he stared up at Otabek. “What bag?” Otabek turned without answering him, and ran for the stairs. “Hey, wait!”

At the same moment, Minami and Phichit burst through the back door, a child supported in each of their arms with Nikolai between them.

Yuri opened his mouth to speak, but Otabek came tearing back downstairs with a black duffel in his hands, cutting him off. Minami cottoned on to what was happening first, and his eyes went wide as he clapped his free hand to his mouth and let out a high squeak.

“Oh! _Oh!_ ” he said, “it's happening?”

“Talk later, car now,” Yuri snapped, and moved to stand up, but immediately his knees nearly buckled as a sharp, knife-like pain hit him in his back, paired with a strange sort of pressure. He groaned, and fell back onto the bed just as Otabek reached him, his face still very white.

“Come on, Yura,” Otabek said as he wrapped an arm around his middle and helped him up. “Just breathe. We'll get you to the hospital and get this all sorted out. It's almost over.”

“Easy for you to say,” Yuri grunted as Otabek helped him to waddle out to the car, the others all following behind quietly. “ _You're_ not the one who has to go through this.”

“Just breathe, Yuri,” Minami chirped from behind him, “in a few hours, you'll have your baby in your arms, and all the weirdness and pain and bodily fluids in weird places will be worth it.”

“Says you,” Yuri grumbled, while Nikolai chuckled warmly.

“Phichit,” Nikolai said, “give me little Antonia, and run back and get some toys for the girls. It may be a while, and we don't want them getting fussy, do we?”

“I'll get some bottles too,” he said as he ran back in, “Yuuri and Viktor are already at the hospital with Viktoria, but Emergency is on a totally different floor, and I have no idea how long they'll be.”

“Do whatever you want, just _hurry_ ,” Otabek called to Phichit's retreating back. “I don't want Yuri having our baby in the car.”

“Is that you thinking of my comfort, or saving the leather seats from a horrible fate?” Yuri asked acidly as Otabek helped him down the steps and to the empty driveway. Otabek cursed, apparently remembering belatedly that Viktor had driven off with his mate and one of his kids, and he jammed his thumb on one of the buttons on his keyring, opening the garage and leading Yuri to Otabek's flashy Mercedes—and Yuri was fairly sure that it was the same one they had driven to the party at Viktor's in so many months before.

_When I'm not about to push a tiny human out of my body, I should probably ask how they managed to get this here without someone noticing..._ Yuri thought as he reached for the door handle.

“Maybe we should...um...put a towel down?” Otabek asked weakly, “I—I mean, or something...and...” Yuri plopped down in his very uncomfortable damp leggings, and Otabek seemed to deflate as he shut the door, and Nikolai slipped into the back seat, while Minami hesitated, just as Phichit made it to the side of the car, and his eyes went a little wide.

“Here,” he said quickly as he shouldered the bag and held out his arms to Nikolai, and he passed the baby over. “I'll call an Uber for Minami and me and these two. We'll be right behind you.”

“Right, okay,” Otabek said, and Yuri narrowed his eyes at his mate suspiciously at the way his voice seemed to quiver. Was Otabek _scared_?

Yuri didn't have much of a chance to ask as another contraction hit, his face contorting with pain as he clutched at his belly and moaned in pain, just as a hand reached for him from the back seat.

Yuri clasped his grandfather's hand as Otabek stuffed Yuri's duffel bag into the trunk before he slipped into the driver's seat, his hands visibly shaking as he started the ignition.

“Just breathe, Yuratchka,” his grandfather coaxed. “This is a moment in time. The pain is part of it. Step aside and let it happen.”

“God, that's a bitch of a contraction...” Yuri panted as it passed, but the pressure in his lower back did not fade completely.

“Just relax,” his grandfather said again, still holding onto his hand as Otabek backed out of the driveway and sped down the road. “I know it is hard, but breathe, and feel your muscles unbind. The more stressed you are, the more it will hurt.”

“I'm scared,” Yuri breathed, not quite able to speak the confession with his full voice, and Otabek's hand moved to join Nikolai's. “This is all so...so... _weird..._ ”

“It'll be okay, Yuri,” Otabek said. “I know you're scared, but we're all here for you—we _all_ love you. We'll do all we can to help you through it...do you remember your English lessons for talking with the nurses and stuff?”

“If you give me an English lesson right now, Beka, I swear by all that is holy that I will pull this car over and _murder_ you,” Yuri snarled, “shut the fuck up and _drive_.”

 

~*~

 

The trip to the hospital was, by and large, uneventful. Otabek was just barely speeding, but when a police car pulled them over, he took one look at Yuri and waved them off. Yuri couldn't stop giggling at their mad stroke of luck, although he was quite certain that part of the laughter was hysteria from the pain, and not genuine mirth.

They made it to the hospital in half the normal time, and Otabek and Nikolai hurried out of the car, while Yuri climbed out of the front seat, a hand still on his stomach, and his face flushed with both pain and embarrassment for walking around in public while still wearing damp leggings.

“Come on,” Otabek said, resting one hand at Yuri's back to help him. “We'll get you signed in, and let Viktor and Yuuri know what's happened...are you all right?”

“F-fine,” Yuri mumbled, panting a little as Otabek led him to the hospital's emergency doors.

A nurse who happened to be wandering back into the hospital with a coffee in her hands, luckily spotted the trio as they were heading inside and grabbed a wheelchair, ordering Yuri into it without pause. Yuri had not missed the perplexed look upon the nurse's face, but had been on the cusp of explaining things when another contraction hit, and with a groan, he plopped down into the wheelchair.

Stammering a little, Otabek filled the nurse in on what had happened while she rushed Yuri inside, and took to the task of paging Viktor to the Maternity Ward while Yuri was shunted behind a curtain to change into a hospital gown.

“You okay in there, Yura?” Otabek called, and Yuri smiled a little at the high, panicked lilt in his mate's voice. It was a comfort to know that he wasn't the only one freaking out about all this.

“Yeah,” he called back as he dropped out of his damp bottom garments, yanked off his shirt, and pulled on the gown without help from the nurse who was waiting just outside. “Has Viktor shown up yet?”

“I'm here!” Viktor called at the same moment, “what's going on?”

“We're going tenpin bowling,” Yuri called sarcastically from behind the curtain as he poked his head out of the curtain, and the nurse helped him back into his wheelchair before she pushed him out into the hall where the two alphas were waiting, and Viktor's eyes went wide at the sight of Yuri in the hospital gown. “What the hell do you _think_ happened?”

“Oh, I'm going to be an Uncle!” he cried happily, and Yuri rolled his eyes.

“How's Viktoria?” Yuri asked, ignoring Viktor's proclamation as the nurse wheeled Yuri away, and the others followed.

“She's fine,” Viktor replied with a small smile. “One stitch on her little finger, some ointment, and she got a lolly from the doctor. Yuuri was beside himself though. I think he feels better now that she's been seen, though. He'll be up soon.”

“Oh, yippee,” Yuri muttered, and despite his best efforts to not sound too sarcastic, if Viktor's expression was any indication, he'd failed miserably.

“If you keep this up, you're going to hurt the baby,” Viktor said sourly, and Yuri rolled his eyes.

“Shut up, Viktor,” Yuri snapped, “if this kid is _lucky_ they'll inherit my impeccable talent for sarcasm.”

“Let's get you to your room, hon,” the nurse cut in quickly when Viktor opened his mouth to respond. “Have you and your mate discussed your birth plan?”

“Yes,” said Yuri.

“No,” said Otabek at the same time.

“Um...” said the nurse.

“Get me the goddamn spinal tap thing and knock me out until it's over!” Yuri shouted, and he glared at Otabek when he opened his mouth to speak, but instead of his voice, nothing escaped him but a small squeak.

“I'll just...leave you two alone to discuss it. Let me know when you're ready to speak to a doctor,” she said as she pulled up to their prepared room and wheeled Yuri inside. She all but ran back out, while Yuri levelled his glare with Otabek.

“Just give us a minute,” Otabek said to the others, and quickly shut the door in their faced before he hurried over to Yuri, wheeled him to the bedside, and helped him up. Once Yuri was settled in the bed, Otabek opened his mouth to speak.

“Yuri—”

“—no,” Yuri interrupted crossly, “this isn't your decision, it's _mine_.”

“But all the books say it's better for you to go through this natur—”

“Fuck _naturally!_ ” Yuri snapped, “you shut your goddamn mouth, you goddamn motherfucking shit-for-brains fucking alpha! You did this to me, you enormous fucking asshole! So if I say I want painkillers, I'll get painkillers. _You_ don't have to push a human out of your own ass, _I do_. You don't get to tell me what to do about this.”

“—but—”

“—my darling alpha,” Yuri said, his voice softening to something close to a purr, and like a rabbit wandering into a trap, Otabek relaxed a little at his abrupt change in tone. “Come here.”

Otabek stepped closer to the bed.

“Closer,” Yuri said sweetly.

Otabek inched closer.

“No, closer.”

Otabek took another step closer.

“ _Closerrrr..._ ”

Otabek's shoulders slumped with relaxation as he smiled and sidled up to the bed until his legs were pressed to the side of the thin mattress, and lighting-fast Yuri's arm whipped out, his hand curled around Otabek's sweatpants-covered ballsack, and he squeezed— _hard_.

Otabek's eyes bulged, and his entire body curled forward as Yuri squeezed harder and harder, the alpha's face was beet red and his eyes were flooding with tears of pain. He wheezed, but couldn't quite form the necessary words to get Yuri to let go.

“Now you listen to me, Otabek Altin,” Yuri hissed. “You will go to the doctor. You will tell him I want an epidural. You will give me painkillers, and I don't want to hear another fucking word against it or I will pop your balls like a pair of grapes. Got it?”

“I got it,” Otabek whimpered, and Yuri smiled as he let go. Otabek's knees buckled a little as he backed out of striking range, and with his hands cupping himself, he hobbled out of the room.

Silence fell in his delivery room just as Yuri felt another painful pressure in his abdomen, and he groaned as eight heads peered in at him—apparently Yuuri, Phichit, and Minami had all arrived as well, unless his eyes were playing tricks on him.

“What do you guys want?” Yuri whined through the pain as he glared at them, but no one appeared particularly distressed by Yuri's cutting tone.

“You gonna permanently injure us too if we get too close?” Phichit asked, and Minami swatted him on the shoulder.

“Otabek had it coming,” Yuri mumbled, then straightened up a little. “He's coming back, right?”

“He's just talking to the doctor...and getting an ice pack,” Yuuri replied as he ventured into the room, Viktoria still in his arms as he moved over to sit next to Yuri on the bed. “He'll be back soon.”

“I always thought alphas were scary, but I had no idea how _stupid_ they could be, too...” Yuri grumbled, and Yuuri laughed as Viktoria brought her bandaged finger to her mouth, and very gently Yuuri tugged her hand away. Yuri glanced back to the doorway, and raised an eyebrow at the others. Minami and his grandfather let themselves in, but Viktor and Phichit stayed frozen in the doorway.

“Come in,” Minami urged them, “Yuri won't bite.”

“Not from this distance, at least,” chimed in Phichit, and Yuri rolled his eyes.

“Viktor!” Yuuri whined, “what are you doing all the way over there?”

“But alphas aren't supposed to be in the delivery room!”

“That was in Russia, we're in Canada now—” Yuuri began, but Viktor (foolishly, Yuri thought) interjected before his omega got very far.

“—but omegas are _scary_ when they're in labour! You nearly broke my hand when we were driving you to the hospital with the girls! And with childbirth there's fluids, and screaming, and—”

“—you should have thought of _that_ before you opened a second bottle of wine three months ago,” Yuuri snapped, and Yuri snorted into his hands, in particular how no one appeared very surprised by the revelation that Yuuri was pregnant again.

“He got you there, Viktor—”

“Shut up, Phichit,” Viktor said sourly.

“Get in here, both of you— _ooh_.” Yuri grimaced, and leant back as he breathed deeply, and Yuuri immediately took one of his hands, while Minami circled the bed and took the other.

Viktor and Phichit hurried inside, just as Otabek returned with a set of scrubs thrown on over his clothes, along with the nurse from before, a man who he presumed to be a doctor, and a rolling table bedecked with a number of terrifying looking needles and other contraptions that Yuri didn't care to identify.

“Quite a party going on in here!” the doctor said— _in Russian_.

“You speak Russian?” Yuri blurted out, and the man chuckled warmly as he wheeled the table to Yuri's bedside, and the omega inched back a little at the sight of the obscenely huge needle lying on the tray. Though Yuri wasn't particularly needlephobic, he was quite certain that anyone would run away screaming when confronted with a needle as thick as their damn wrist.

“I called a few weeks ago and asked around for one,” Otabek explained. “This is Doctor Bertrand, he is the only multilingual maternity doctor in the province.”

“I'm from Montréal originally,” he said as he snapped on a pair of gloves and offered Yuri a small smile. “I took Languages at Université de Longueuil before I declared Pre Med and moved to Vancouver. Your mate practically _begged_ me to come to Kelowna for a few weeks for when you went into labour.”

“Yeah, he can be pretty thoughtful sometimes, that Otabek,” Otabek said sarcastically when Yuri didn't respond. “Good thing I ensured that we'll never have another kid by giving him a barehanded vasectomy, I wouldn't want him to go through all this thoughtfulness a second time...”

“Shut up, honey,” Yuri grumbled, and his mate snorted a little.

“All right,” the doctor said, as he addressed the room in a loud voice, “anyone not either giving birth or mated to Yuri— _out_. Otabek, please come over and help your mate onto his side, please.”

“Is this going to hurt?” Yuri asked nervously as Otabek edged towards him, one hand pointedly covering his groin, while the others filed out of the room with frowns on their faces. They shut the door behind them, and when Yuri glanced back to Otabek, he saw his stupid alpha still inching towards him at a snail's pace. He rolled his eyes as he barked, “Otabek, get your butt over here.”

His alpha obeyed, and hurried to Yuri's side. He helped Yuri roll over, bow his head forward, and curl up his legs as far as they would go, as he braced himself for a new brand of pain.

The fitting of the epidural, catheter, and I.V. wasn't exactly the most comfortable thing in the world, but aside from a faint sting Yuri felt almost nothing, save for a strange discomfort before he was helped back onto his back—and his legs went numb.

“I can't feel my legs,” Yuri said in a panic, “what the hell did you _do_ to me?”

“Just relax, Mr Plisetsky,” the doctor reassured him calmly, “it's just a side-effect of the pain medication that you wanted. Now, if it's all right with you, I'd like to have a look at how dilated you are.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means he wants to check you over to see how close you are to having the baby,” Otabek explained gently as he stroked Yuri hair, and Yuri whined as he leant into the touch. This wasn't quite the magical labour he'd been picturing in his head. He wanted it over— _now_.

“Did you not go to any prenatal classes?” the doctor asked curiously as Yuri nodded his assent, and he began to move towards the end of the bed, while both Yuri and Otabek snorted at the question.

“It was...something of a rough pregnancy,” Otabek said dryly.

“I was a bit busy fleeing my homeland to grab a copy of _What to Expect_ on my way out,” Yuri added, and the doctor's face flushed red with embarrassment.

“I'm terribly sorry, Mr Plisetsky, Mr Altin, that was rude of me,” he said as he quickly eased Yuri's legs apart, and with a pair of gloved hands, they disappeared between the omega's thighs, though he didn't feel much of the encounter.

“You're at six, almost seven centimetres,” the doctor proclaimed after a moment as he straightened up, removed the gloves, and tossed them into a garbage can. “Now, you _can't_ deliver your child until you're at at least ten, but for omegas it's preferred that you wait until fifteen, given that the birth canal is usually a bit more narrow...”

“And how long will that take?” Yuri interjected.

“You will dilate about one centimetre per hour—”

“—per _hour_?” Yuri demanded, “but...but...that's like eight hours from now. I can't wait that long! I want this kid out _now_.”

“Mr Plisetsky, I must warn you that trying to push this baby out too soon will do more damage than anything else,” the doctor said with a stern edge to his voice. “You need to be patient. Now, when the contractions hit, you may feel compelled to push, but unless myself or a nurse has told you to— _don't_.”

“Why not?”

“Doing so will tire you out and cause your cervix to swell, delaying delivery,” the doctor explained patiently. “Just breathe through them, all right? I'll have the nurse come back in and show you the breathing exercises, and I will be back soon to check in on you, all right?”

“Wait—what about my family?” Yuri asked, “can they come back in?”

“I'm afraid not,” the doctor replied with a small, apologetic smile. “The rule in our hospital is four visitors at a time, and generally it is preferred that uninvolved parties stay in the waiting room until the child is born.”

“They can read a magazine or something, Yura,” Otabek said consolingly as he continued to stroke Yuri's hair, “and I'll give them updates, all right?”

“No you won't,” Yuri interrupted. “You're not allowed to leave my side while I suffer through this—you can leave when it's all over.”

“What if I need to pee?”

“What are you, _three?_ Hold it.”

“You're not very much fun right now,” Otabek teased, and Yuri glared at him. Otabek back up a little and cupped his groin.

“You come back over here and I'll show you how much _fun_ I can be.”

“No, I think I'm good out of striking range.”

Still scowling, Yuri reached behind him for a pillow and whipped it at Otabek's face as hard as he possibly could.

It hit Otabek with a distinctive _flump_ , and Otabek staggered back a step or two, while Yuri bowed forward and began to cry. Otabek immediately rushed to Yuri's bedside, and wrapped his arms around him while he continued to weep.

“Oh, Yura, what's wrong?”

“You said you'd be here for me and now you're backing away like I'm a rabid animal. Why are you being so _awful_? I thought we were past all this shit,” he whined, and he was hit with another contraction, making Yuri hiss as he grappled for Otabek's hand, grabbed it, and squeezed. Otabek rubbed his back as he breathed through it, but when it passed, Yuri didn't feel any better.

It was going to be a long, long night.

 

~*~

 

Yuri hated everything.

Especially Otabek.

_Mostly_ Otabek.

“Yura, you're at eleven centimetres, at most it's _maybe_ another hour or two...” Otabek said consolingly, and Yuri smacked him with his pillow for the tenth time.

“I'm so fucking _sick_  of waiting. I want this baby _out_ of me!” Yuri whined, while Otabek began to rub his back again. “This is _all_ your fault.”

“You seduced _me,_ remember?” Otabek pointed out, his tone soft and teasing, rather than accusing. “So really, it's all _your_ fault.”

“Who's the damn alpha here?” Yuri demanded crossly, “take some responsib— _ooh._ ” Yuri winced, and rubbed his hand across his stomach. “That was a good one.”

“Did it feel stronger?” Otabek asked, and Yuri nodded. He watched Otabek reach for the nurse call button on his bed, and immediately a young nurse bustled in, a warm smile on her face as she hurried over to them.

“What seems to be the problem?” she asked kindly, and Yuri glared at her.

“Strong contraction,” Otabek filled in before Yuri could tell her where to stick it. “Yuri wanted me to contact you.”

“Alrighty,” she said cheerfully as she grabbed a fresh pair of gloves and snapped them on, then moved to the end of the bed. “Let's have a look here...”

Yuri slumped back on the bed with a heavy sigh, and listened, more than felt, the nurse prodding around at his bum, given that he couldn't feel much below the waist. When she finally popped back up, she was smiling.

“Now, hon, I don't want to scare you, but I can see the head.”

“What?” Otabek said.

“Oh, thank God,” Yuri said at the same moment.

“Just relax,” she said as she straightened back up, “I'm going to go and get the doctor, you hang tight for a minute, and we'll have your baby out before you know it.”

The nurse darted from the room before Yuri could say anything else, and Yuri turned to Otabek, who was circling Yuri's body to crouch down like the nurse had done, and he seemed to go a little green.

“What do you see?”

“Your butt is going to be permanently stuck open after this...”

“ _Beka!_ ”

“Kidding,” Otabek said with a teasing grin as he straightened up and offered Yuri a small, reassuring smile. “I can't see much, to be honest, just this white glob with bits of black hair—the baby's head. It's beautiful and horrifying all at once.”

“I _never_ want to do this again,” Yuri whined, “hold my hand?”

Otabek shifted up to the head of the bed, and took Yuri's hand just as another contraction hit. He groaned, struggling to resist pushing, but now all he wanted to do was push and get the thing _out_.

“Oh, that wasn't so bad,” Yuri panted, but when he turned to his mate, he saw that he was all but crushing the alpha's hand, and there were small pinpricks of tears of pain in his eyes. “Oh, Otabek, don't be such a drama queen.”

“You almost broke my hand!” Otabek wheezed as he cradled the limb in his opposite arm, his eyes wide, and Yuri was about to argue with him when the doctor from before burst into the room with a shamefaced nurse in tow.

“— _never_ leave a person in labour when the baby is crowning!” he admonished, and the nurse winced. “What on earth were you _thinking_? Do you have any idea how dangerous that could be?”

“I'm sorry, doctor, but I—”

“Oh, never mind,” he said with a wave of his hand as he turned to Yuri, while the nurse collected a towel from the same rolling table that the doctor had brought in earlier. “Mr Plisetsky, I am _so_ sorry to keep you waiting. Okay, your baby is beginning to crown, and now is the time to push. I do not mean to rush you, but I do not want to keep your child in when _clearly_ they are ready to come out. So, when you feel the next contraction, I want you to _push_. Understand?”

“Yes,” Yuri replied, and he reached for Otabek. His mate smiled warmly, and took his hand.

“You can do this, Yura, Otabek said, “I believe in you.”

The next contraction came, and Yuri pushed. Otabek, the nurse, and the doctor were all cheering for him, crying, “ _come on, push!_ ” but as the contraction passed, his baby was still not born, and Yuri flopped back against the bed with a soft huff.

“Just relax, Mr Plisetsky, you're doing great...” the doctor encouraged, while Otabek used his free hand to stroke Yuri's hair. “Okay, get ready, and... _push!_ ”

Yuri obeyed. He bore down and pushed as hard as he could, but again, nothing came out.

“It's all right, you're getting there, this is normal,” the doctor said, “get ready for another push...”

It continued. For the better part of an hour, Yuri pushed, and pushed, and _pushed_. He was exhausted—beyond exhausted, in fact, and he began to feel like the baby would _never_ come out.

“Come on, Yura, just one more good push, you're almost there,” Otabek said as he kissed his temple and stroked his damp hair. “You can do this—”

“I don't want to push anymore, Beka,” Yuri whined, his voice breaking, and he felt close to tears, “I'm so tired of pushing, I can't do it—”

“Sweetheart, yes you can, come on, just _one_ more. You're almost there, Just push once more, and you won't have to do it again—”

“No, no...I'm so tired...”

But despite his exhaustion, another contraction overwhelmed him, and he pushed, and suddenly, he heard a baby crying.

Tears came to Yuri's eyes as he gazed down between his open legs and saw a smiling doctor and nurse quickly wiping the squalling and pink baby with a tuft of dark hair on her head off with a towel before the nurse gently laid her on Yuri's chest. Yuri curled his arms around his new baby daughter as tears of relief and joy began to stream from his eyes and into his hair.

“Would you like to cut the cord, Dad?” the doctor asked Otabek, and beaming in a similar way to his mate, Otabek tore his gaze away from Yuri and the baby as he stood up and followed the doctor's instructions to cutting the cord, while Yuri stroked the baby's little chubby cheek, and placed a tiny kiss on her forehead.

“You're here,” Yuri whispered to her as she continued to cry, “you're _finally_ here...”

The tiny thing snuffled as she lay against his chest, smearing blood and whatever else on the towel she was wrapped in as he held her, sniffling a little as he continued to cry silently and hold her, unwilling to let her go and wipe away his tears.

“My precious little girl,” Yuri murmured, and kissed the top of her head again.

“She is so beautiful,” Otabek murmured, and wrapped an arm around Yuri and gazed down at his daughter and mate. “You were _amazing,_ Yura. I'm so proud of you.”

Yuri lay with his new family a little while longer until he delivered the placenta and other things he'd rather not think about, and despite the dire warnings from Otabek that it could take a while, he passed it easily before he reluctantly handed his over to the nurse to get cleaned up properly and wrapped up in a blanket and beanie.

When she came back, she was all pink and new, without the added viscera clinging to her skin. She was wrapped in a little pink blanket and matching hat, and when Yuri took her back in his arms, he had never before felt so whole and complete.

“Hello there,” he murmured as he rocked the sleeping newborn, and she let out a tiny sigh. “God, you are so perfect, and tiny, but you sure as hell did not _feel_ tiny on your way out...”

Otabek choked as he snorted into his hand, and Yuri offered him a dopey, sleepy grin as he asked, “want to hold her...Yeka?”

“I can be Äke,” Otabek said quickly, though he was beaming at Yuri's use of the Kazakh word in lieu of _Otets_. “I always called my own father Yeka and...he wasn't nice.”

“Okay,” Yuri said as he nodded a little, still feeling too light to protest anything or have any serious discussions at the moment. “Äke, want to hold your daughter?”

“Thank you, Mat`,” Otabek teased, and Yuri laughed a little as he handed her over. “Do you have any name ideas for her?”

“Actually, I do,” Yuri said with a small smile as he watched Otabek hold onto the tiny infant and rock her gently, a look of genuine awe upon his face. “I was thinking...Alvinia Tala Altin.”

Yuri smiled as he watched Otabek's reaction to the name. He smiled, but his eyes were shiny. His bottom lip quivered, and when he blinked, a tear dripped down his cheek.

“Y-you really want her middle name to be my mother's? And use my name?” Otabek asked, and Yuri nodded.

“He was so important to you, Beka,” Yuri said, his voice slurring a little as his fatigue began to set in. “It was obvious how much you loved him. I feel like it's the perfect middle name, and Altin just _sounds_ right. Plisetsky-Altin or Altin-Plisetsky is such a mouthful, and I like how it sounds, and I had planned to ask you if I could take your name at some point anyway, I know not many omegas do it out here, but I always liked that tradition, and...” his babbling trailed off as Otabek offered him a small smile, which Yuri returned.

“And Alvinia?” Otabek prompted, his voice still shaky as he supported his daughter with one arm, and wiped his eyes with his opposite hand.

“I found it in one of Yuuri's baby-naming books, and I just liked it,” Yuri explained, “it means... _dearly loved_.”


	36. Alvinia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: See glossary at the end for a bunch of Russian/Japanese/Thai words (mostly Russian). If there's any spelling or grammar mistakes, please let me know so I can fix it—most of the Cyrillic to Roman Alphabet transliteration is done by me, and the Thai translation was done by Google Translate, so mistakes are totally possible. :P Next update will be April 12th.

Chapter Thirty-Five – Alvinia

 

Less than forty-five minutes after giving birth, Yuri was roused from his half-asleep doze by Otabek, who was still bearing a warm, New Father glow about him. Alvinia was in his arms, but less sleepy and more fussy, and Yuri was immediately thrown into high alert.

“What is it?” he asked, “is Alvinia okay?”

“She's fine,” Otabek said softly, “the nurse thinks she might be hungry, so she suggested I wake you up and have you try feeding her. She offered formula, but I wanted you to decide whether or not you wanted to breastfeed before I gave her an answer.”

“No, I can do it,” Yuri said, and held out his arms to his mate. Otabek passed the baby over, her eyes squinting up at Yuri as she whimpered, and seemed to be ready to start screaming at any moment.

Feeling slightly awkward, Yuri supported his daughter with one arm while he unbuttoned the front of his hospital gown, and carefully lifted Alvinia to his nipple.

He knew his own biology well enough that he wasn't unnerved that he could produce milk, but it was still odd to see, especially considering his chest had not grown all that much, despite Yuuri's promises that he would be able to produce enough to feed his child without issue. Yuri knew that omegas very rarely grew breasts like beta women did, but he still found it hard to believe that it would be enough for his child.

Alvinia whined a little, her tiny hand unwinding from the blanket that she was swaddled in to rest against Yuri's chest, and his smile broadened as the little girl fumbled, as though she wasn't sure what to do. After a moment however, she seemed to get the hang of it and latched on gently as she began to nurse.

Yuri smiled softly as he stared at her—his tiny little miracle. He reached out to stroke her soft, chubby cheek, and she grabbed hold of Yuri's finger, her little hand curling around the digit in a surprisingly strong grip while she ate.

“God, she is so perfect,” Yuri whispered as he held her. “I can't believe we _made_ this. I think after everything that happened...she makes it worth it.” Yuri paused, and glanced back up at Otabek. “Don't you think?”

“Yeah,” Otabek murmured as he watched them, “I mean, I dreamed about this for ages, I always wanted it, but seeing you hold her...it's more perfect than I thought it would be. She's...she's our little girl.”

“She is,” Yuri agreed as Alvinia seemed to have had enough, and Yuri pulled her back from his chest, while he gazed down into her little eyes, still partially closed like someone had just flicked on the lights for her, but he could still see the bits of blue of her irises as he lifted her up to gently rub her back until she let out a tiny, milky burp, then settled back down again.

“So...” Otabek hedged as he leant forward and offered the pair another smile while Yuri buttoned up his hospital gown. “You think you're rested enough to show her off a little? The others are _dying_ to meet her, and I've been trying to put them off for a bit to let you rest, but I think that will be easier for you to actually get some real rest _after_ they've gotten to meet her.”

“I think so,” Yuri said as he rocked Alvinia. “I mean, I'm still exhausted, but as long as I'm not expected to stand up, I think I'm good.”

“No one expects you to move for another day or two, and when we go home, and you can rest as much as you like—plus, we've got about five eager nannies at home to help,” Otabek teased as he stood up and offered Yuri a gentle kiss, before he bowed forward and pecked Alvinia lightly on the top of her head. Yuri laughed at the remark, and smiled faintly at Otabek as he moved to the door and slipped outside.

“Okay, Alvinia, you ready to meet our crazy family?” he asked softly as he continued to rock her, and she blinked up at him sleepily. “Let's see...there's your _Prádyed,_ Nikokai—he's the only normal one out of all of us—he's quiet, but he loved you even before you were born, and I _know_ he'll love you forever and ever. Then there is your _Dyédya,_ Viktor, he's annoying as hell, but he has a good heart, and your...um... _Ojis,_ Yuuri and Minami—Yuuri is like the perfect mother, but don't ever tell him I said that. And Minami will probably get you into all sorts of trouble, like dye your hair purple when I'm not looking. Then the last, I suppose, is your _Leung_ , Phichit. He's almost as nice as your Äke. He's sweet and doting, and he's hyperactive and annoying, but he just _loves_ all the kids, and I know he'll love you too, probably because you're the cutest of the four. You'll grow up with Yuriko, Viktoria, and Antonia like sisters, or cousins, but even though none of your are actually related, it's a more perfect family than anyone I've ever known...”

Yuri trailed off his monologue just as there was a soft knock on the door, and he glanced up just in time to see his mate standing there with a line of familiar faces behind him.

“Hey,” Yuri said, his voice cracking a little with fatigue, and he nodded, inviting for them to come in.

“Hey,” Yuuri said first as they all grabbed chairs and circled him, except, he noted, Viktor, who seemed to be absent. Yuuri did not miss Yuri's look of confusion and explained, “he went home with the girls a few hours ago,” Yuuri explained with a soft smile. “Once they're awake, he'll come back over to meet the girls' new little sister. What did you name her?”

“Alvinia,” Yuri replied with a small smile, and turned to his grandfather, who was sitting quietly in one of the chairs while the others stood up and bowed over him to coo at his daughter. “Grandpa, do you want to start the first round of _Pass the Baby,_ and meet your _právnōchka_?”

Nikolai beamed with joy at the offer, and Yuri carefully handed her over. A familiar look of quiet awe passed over the older man's face as he rocked her in one arm, and reached out a hand to her, and the newborn wrapped a tiny hand around his weather-worn index finger.

“Hello there, little one,” he said softly, “goodness, Yuri, she looks so much like Otabek, but she will have your eyes, I think. She is a beautiful child. I am so proud of you; you endured so much, and look what came out of it all.”

Yuri smiled weakly as he wiped his teary eyes, and Otabek wrapped an arm around him while he sat on the edge of the bed, and covertly snapped a picture with his phone of Nikolai holding Alvinia.

“Who would like to hold her next?” Nikolai asked, and chortled when both Phichit and Minami rushed at him, while Yuuri held out his arms in an almost commanding sort of way, while he flexed his hands as though to silently say, _gimmie._

“I haven't held a baby in nearly ten hours,” Yuuri proclaimed as he continued to hold his arms out. “I'll go through withdrawal soon if I don't get my fix.”

“Baby Addiction,” Minami said with a mournful sigh as Nikolai chuckled and carefully passed Alvinia over to Yuuri. “Too bad they don't make a patch for that...”

“They do,” Yuuri replied distractedly as he smiled down at the infant and rocked her gently, “it's called _having more babies_.”

“As someone who has to live with a pack of screaming infants, I'd like to veto that treatment,” Phichit interjected, and everyone laughed.

A soft knock sounded on the door, and everyone glanced up at the same time to see a very tired-looking Viktor coming in with a stroller of three happy babies, and two drink trays of seven extra-large coffees, all labelled with their initials, and a box of doughnuts balanced on the top of the stroller's hood. Viktor was grinning at them in a slightly dazed sort of way, and he was dressed more casually than Yuri had ever seen him, in a black T-shirt and jeans, with his hair in disarray and his sunglasses perched on top of his head.

“Morning, everyone!” he called as he let himself in, and grinned as he held out the trays and pushed the stroller with his wrists, while the girls all squealed with delight and reached out for their mother. “I come bearing coffee, doughnuts, and sleep-deprived toddlers.”

“Oh, God,” Yuuri said with a laugh as he carefully passed Alvinia over to Minami, and got up to help his mate. “How long did they sleep?”

“I zonked out at about five A.M., and when I woke up Antonia had somehow gotten into Viktoria's crib. I think this is an omen.”

“Of doom?” Minami asked as he glanced up, and Yuri snorted as he watched Minami with his child.

“Of them beginning to crawl, dipshit.”

“Yuri, language!” Viktor called teasingly, “your little one is like a _sponge,_ and she will soak all those bad words up!”

“She can say _fuck, shit,_ and _cunt_ every other word and she'll still be a perfect little lady,” Yuri replied as he watched Minami pass Alvinia to Phichit, and the alpha all but squealed when he scooped her up, carefully cradling her as he lifted her close to his face, and she reached up to touch his face clumsily with her little hand.

“Ohh, Antonia,” Yuuri cooed while he scooped his middle triplet up and hugged her close. “Were you being a little terror for your poor, sleepy _Otets_? That's my good girl!”

“ _Yuuri!_ ” Viktor squawked, “how could you be so _cruel_? I'm running on like four hours of sleep, here!”

“I'll see your five hours and raise you a forty-five minutes, _right after_ pushing a bowling ball through the eye of a needle,” Yuri grunted from the bed as Phichit handed Alvinia back to him, and her eyes flitted open a little, though they were still narrowed and squinted.

“Get back to us in a few months, kitten,” Viktor teased as he sauntered over and offered Yuri one of the coffees, as well as a chocolate doughnut on a napkin. Yuri shifted his grip on the baby so that she was cradled in one of his arms, and triple checked that her head was supported before he accepted the warm cup, and Viktor set the pastry down on his table, which had been pushed to one side. “Alvin, right?”

“ _Alvinia,_ asshole,” Yuri shot  back, his tone weak and halfhearted as he sipped the coffee and grimaced. “What the hell is this? It tastes like piss.”

“Decaf,” Viktor replied, raising his eyebrows a little in surprise. “It's best if you don't overdo right now, especially if you plan to breastfeed her. Hyper baby is not fun— _believe_ me.”

“He's not exaggerating,” Yuuri added with a chuckle as he set Antonia back down and picked up the next fussiest tot. “I mean, it doesn't change their attitude _much_ , but I did notice a difference.”

“I want _real_ coffee,” Yuri whined as he set it down and took his baby in both arms again when she began to fuss. “I hate decaf.”

“Quite the picture of a glowing new mother, isn't he?” Viktor asked sarcastically, and Otabek snorted.

“Watch it,” Otabek warned Viktor while he rested a hand on Yuri's knee. “Yuri has _really_ good aim with his pillows.”

“What?” Viktor blinked, and Yuri smirked a little.

“I threw a pillow at Beka once or twice during the...event.”

“ _Once or twice_ ,” Otabek mocked with a snort, “I think you're missing a few hundred digits in there, dearheart.”

“Shut up, honey,” Yuri shot back sweetly, and everyone laughed.

“So,” Viktor said as he drew up a chair and made space for the huge stroller, which Yuuri rolled in as though they planned to let the triplets hold thew new baby too. “Do I get a turn with the little poop machine? She is _so_ cute, Yuri, you must be thrilled.”

“Yeah, she _is_ pretty adorable,” Yuri agreed with a grin, and handed his child over to the silver-haired Alpha. “And she's the spitting image of her Äke. With any luck, she'll have my impeccable vocabulary.”

“So planning for her first words to be _fuck you_?” Phichit teased, and Otabek snorted.

“Oh, give me a fucking break,” Yuri scoffed as he watched Viktor coo over his infant for a moment longer before he passed her back to Yuri, while Yuuri lifted Yuriko onto the end of Yuri's bed with her dummy in her mouth. Immediately, she rolled onto her belly and started to wiggle like a fish. “I don't swear _that_ much.”

He paused, and like an instant replay, he realized what he'd just said, and another chorus of laughs surrounded him.

“No further evidence, your honour,” Phichit teased, and Yuri snorted as Viktor reached out to cage Yuriko in as she got up on all fours, and began to crawl shakily across his bedspread, and four adults swooped in at once to stop her from crawling off the edge.

“Come on, Yuriko,” Viktor cooed, as he turned her around to face Yuri, and sat her up. “Meet your baby sister.”

The eight-month-old blinked bemusedly at Yuri, her light pink dummy obscuring a good portion of the lower half of her face, while she stared up at Yuri and Alvinia with wide blue eyes.

Yuri decided to indulge Viktor, and carefully held out the newborn to Yuriko. The adults all seemed to hold their breath as they watched, and Viktor and Yuuri seemed to be dying inside from the cuteness—

Until Yuriko reached forward, and promptly stuck her finger up Alvinia's nose.

The move immediately woke up the newborn, and she promptly began to wail. Yuriko's eyes went wide with alarm at the sound, and the dummy fell from her mouth as she joined in with Alvinia's cries.

“Oh Alvinia, you poor thing!” Yuri yelped as he drew her close and began to rock her, while he glared over her tiny shoulder at Viktor, who was looking appropriately shamefaced as he rocked his own daughter in his arms. “Is your little nose okay?”

“I think she's okay,” Otabek said consolingly as he checked her over while Yuri held onto her. “She just got a scare.”

“We better keep an eye on them once you take her home,” Yuuri said seriously while he picked up Viktoria, who had begun to fuss from all the noise. “Newborns are so delicate, we don't want the girls to accidentally hurt her.”

“I think you guys are gonna need a new blanket term for your kids, given that now we have four girls,” Otabek pointed out, then glanced at Yuuri's stomach, “and possibly another on the way.”

“Can we please not discuss the whoops baby?” Yuuri asked weakly, his face flushing pink, and Yuri snorted a little at Yuuri's wording. “I am fighting total mental shutdown at the idea of _five_ teenage girls in one house.”

“Better another girl than a boy,” Minami teased, “that kid leaves the toilet seat up _once_ and they'll probably get murdered.”

“What happened to _I want a house filled with children_?” Yuri asked Yuuri mockingly as Alvinia began to settle down, and his flush seemed to deepen.

“I'm getting Viktor neutered after this one,” Yuuri replied teasingly, a small, amused smile spreading across his lips when Viktor, who had been sipping his coffee, promptly sprayed it out of his nose.

“It's not _my_ fault that you're as fertile as a freaking bunny rabbit,” Viktor retorted as he mopped up himself and his daughter, who he had been holding. “I didn't mean it!”

“Can we _please_ change the subject before we all learn _way_ more details about Viktor and Yuuri's sex life than I'd like to know?” Yuri interrupted, and Minami and Phichit howled with laughter.

 

~*~

 

Yuri stayed in the hospital with Alvinia for about a day and a half. Alvinia was checked over, her newborn vaccines were administered, and she was given a clean bill of health. Otabek was also gifted with the honour of giving his daughter her first bath, with the nurse showing him how to do it without getting water on her umbilical cord.

Everyone else went home, keen to finally get some rest, and visited Yuri and Alvinia in shifts while the others babysat the triplets.

Except Nikolai, who refused to leave the hospital without them.

 

“All right, Mr Plisetsky,” the doctor proclaimed as he brought in a wheelchair for the new mother around noon on the second day, “you're free to go. Everything looks good, and barring complications, you and Alvinia should be just fine. Now, I don't want you having sex for at least six weeks—”

“—six _weeks_?” Otabek interrupted with a note of alarm in his voice. Yuri did his best not to laugh at Otabek's reaction, while the doctor's expression became even more stern.

“ _Six. Weeks._ ” The doctor frowned at Otabek, who grimaced a little and bowed his head. “Congratulations again, both of you. Yuri, you've been discharged, so you four can go home.”

“Thanks, doctor.” Yuri smiled while he rocked Alvinia in his arms. The doctor nodded once, and left them alone. Yuri adjusted his grip on Alvinia as he took Otabek's hand as he began to help him manoeuvre out of the bed and towards the waiting chair.

“If it makes you feel better, I'm not sure I can wait six weeks, either—” Yuri began, but broke off abruptly with a hiss of pain as his bottom began to sear with a dull, throbbing pain ache from the slight movement from the bed to the wheelchair. “Okay, yes I can—I may never have sex again.”

“Don't worry,” Otabek said with a soft chuckle as he moved to stroke Yuri's hair, before he bowed forward and offered his mate a gentle kiss. “In a few weeks, the pain will all be gone, and you'll feel much better.”

“I hope so,” Yuri mumbled as Otabek straightened up and began to wheel Yuri towards the recovery room door. “I'm not enjoying the idea of waddling around forever like I had a cannon up my ass.”

“Well, you can rest when we get home; Phichit and the others promised to move our bed back upstairs.”

“Why am I not comforted by that, I wonder?” Yuri asked, and Otabek snorted.

“Viktor promised to be more careful this time, plus Minami is helping, and Yuuri is supervising,” Otabek said, and Yuri laughed softly.

“I can't _wait_ to hear the story of how Viktor nearly killed himself _this_ time...”

“Have you _no_ faith in us?” Otabek asked as he wheeled him out into the hall, and headed for the waiting room, where Nikolai had been waiting for them to finish with the doctor.

“None whatsoever.”

“Oh, _thanks,_ ” Otabek retorted, and Yuri smirked to himself. “I'll have you know us alphas are completely capable of doing things without paying someone else to do it—hey, stop laughing!”

“Is Viktor getting concussed by an AWOL mattress your idea of _completely capable_?” he asked between bouts of laughter, wiping tears from his eyes as Otabek slowed his wheelchair to a stop in front of Nikolai.

“You certainly seem to be in good spirits,” his grandfather remarked as he smiled down at Yuri and Alvinia. “And how is my _právnōchka_ doing today?”

“She's fine,” Yuri replied with a small smile as he rocked the sleeping baby in his arms. “She's been sleeping mostly, but woke up long enough to eat.”

“Oh, you're a lucky young man,” Nikolai said with a chortle as he turned, and they began to make their way out of the hospital. “You were a little _terror_ as a baby. Your poor Mat` could never get you to settle down, I think you screamed nonstop for the first six months of your life.”

“Sounds like you haven't changed much,” Otabek teased, and Yuri reached up to swat him, making both his grandfather and his mate laugh.

They stopped outside the Mercedes, and to Yuri's amazement, a back-facing baby seat had been set up in the back of the car perfectly. It was perched behind the passenger seat, and Otabek proudly showed Yuri how securely the thing had been strapped in before Yuri allowed Otabek to relieve the omega of the baby and carefully strap her in, adjusting the size of the cushions carefully to keep her from being jostled while they drove.

“I'm impressed,” Yuri teased as Otabek circled the car with the wheelchair and helped Yuri into the back seat next to Alvinia. “You managed to get the car seat in without any disasters.” He glanced up and looked at Otabek, then flicked his gaze to his grandfather. He arched a brow, and looked back to his mate, who had suddenly found the stitching on the wheelchair fascinating. Yuri coughed pointedly, and Otabek's face began to flush red. When he finally glanced up, Yuri raised an eyebrow at him inquiringly, and Nikolai chuckled warmly.

“Nikolai may have helped a little...” Otabek muttered as he glanced away, “...erm, he may have fixed the disaster that I created...”

“You are _hopeless_ ,” Yuri said with a snort, and Otabek offered him a weak, apologetic smile.

 

~*~

 

After Otabek helped Yuri shift from the wheelchair to the back seat next to Alvinia, he packed the wheelchair into the trunk of the car while Nikolai took the passenger seat. Otabek drove, driving comically slowly while simultaneously checking his mirrors almost obsessively. Alvinia whined and fussed, and Yuri cooed at his daughter as the car moved.

“Oh, precious, you don't like speed either, do you?” Yuri asked as he rocked her seat as best he could, and moved his other hand to lightly stroke her little chubby cheek. “You _must_ be mine.”

“I'm barely going thirty kilometres!” Otabek complained from the front of the car, “I'm _trying_ to go slow, all right?”

“Any slower, and we'd be going backwards,” Nikolai pointed out, and Yuri snorted when Otabek scowled, and he sped up incrementally.

Chuckling, Yuri turned his attention back to Alvinia. Her face was screwed up and tense, and she was whining and fussing, but not quite crying yet.

“Beka,” Yuri called, “I don't mean to rush you, but I have a feeling that she's a little time bomb that's going to go off any minute—so either speed up, or pull over so that I can calm her down.”

Otabek glanced into the rear view mirror, and Yuri could see a frown tugging at the corners of his mouth with a conflicted look in his eyes.

“My dear alpha,” Yuri said with mock sweetness in his voice. “If you keep going under the speed limit, we'll get pulled over. Just relax, and speed up. Alvinia's fussing, but she's not hurt; this is just new for her, and it might take a couple trips to get her used to cars. All right?”

Otabek nodded, and moved up to sixty. Yuri offered him a warm smile, and did his best to swallow his amusement. If Otabek's attitude over the last two days was any indication, Yuri could assume that as they watched their little girl grow up, Otabek would likely be a complete and total pushover.

_And you, my little one, will have your Äke wrapped around your little finger,_ Yuri thought as he rocked the car seat, and stroked Alvinia's cheek while they turned around the corner and their house came into view.

“Welcome home, Alvinia,” Yuri murmured to his daughter, and she let out a tiny sigh as she finally began to settle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Russian: Prádyed – Great-Grandfather, Dyédya – Uncle, Právnōchka – Great-Granddaughter  
> Japanese: Oji – Uncle (Ojisan is the more formal version)  
> Thai: Leung - Uncle


	37. Normal Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next update scheduled for April 19th. Due to bad planning on my part, all my current WIPs (4 of 'em) have run out of pre-written chapters—usually I write all or most of the story in advance, and spend the week in between updates editing and going over bits with my beta, but this time I posted the stories before they were completed, which led to this disaster. What this means is that while I will do my best to put out next week's instalment on time, there may be a delay in posting it—I feel that it's better to wait and put out something good, rather than give you guys a rushed pile of crap. So, I will do my best to stay on time, and I hope you guys enjoy this week's update :)

Chapter Thirty-Six – Normal Life

 

Inside the house, as Yuri had predicted, he found Viktor icing a black eye while Yuuri, far from appearing concerned for his mate, looked deeply annoyed with him. He sat on the floor away from Viktor, watching his girls, and would not look over at the alpha, regardless how many pain-induced moans he voiced.

“Damn, Yuuri,” Yuri said from the door, while Makkachin raced over and moved to jump up, but Otabek stepped in the way to stop him hurting Yuri or the baby. “I mean, I know Viktor is kind of a spaz, but did you need to punch him in the eye?”

“It wasn't me,” Yuuri grumbled as he sat there, holding onto one of his girls while the other two lay on their backs as they tried valiantly to shove their feet into their mouths. “Viktor tripped over the bed frame and hit himself in the eye with the doorknob on your bedroom door.”

“Jesus, Viktor,” Yuri said with a snort as he walked bowlegged over to the sofa with Alvinia cradled in his arms, “how do you manage to walk and chew gum at the same time?”

“He can't,” Yuuri cut in, “that would require _way_ too much effort. He'd probably wander off a cliff and not notice.”

“Hey!” Viktor interjected, “Yuuri, I _said_ I was sorry, you don't need to be so mean.”

Yuuri's brow furrowed, and he opened his mouth to respond, but thankfully at the same moment Alvinia let out a discontented wail that broke up the argument.

“Oh, sweetheart, you didn't like the bickering, eh?” Yuri asked as he lifted her to his shoulder and rubbed her back, but the consoling words and back rubs didn't calm her down like he'd hoped, and instead she continued to scream.

“Is she wet?” Otabek asked as he sat next to Yuri and offered his shoulder a consoling squeeze, as though he could sense how anxious Alvinia's crying was making him. “Or hungry?”

“Um...” Yuri reached down for her diaper, and winced. “Wetness it is.”

“Come on, let's get her upstairs, then,” Otabek said, and wrapped an arm around Yuri's waist as he helped him to his feet, and guided his omega and wailing child upstairs.

 

Otabek kept his arm around Yuri as they moved, and though he was still in a fair amount of pain from the birth, strangely, the crying child in his arms seemed to dim it, and his entire focus was fixed on meeting Alvinia's needs, and not seeing to his own.

_Maybe this is what being a mom means_ , Yuri thought as he bustled into their room, ignored the half-set up bed that Minami and Phichit were still fixing, and headed for the adjoining baby's room that now read _Alvinia's Room_ on the wooden door sign in fine script.

Inside the room, painted a pale mauve with wall decals of teddy bears all over the place, though Yuri wasn't paying much attention to the décor as he made a beeline for the fancy oak changing table that Viktor had given him at the shower. It was fitted with a cushion on top, the fabric decorated with more teddy bears, with a low rail around the edges to keep the baby from rolling off.

“Where are the diapers and wipes and stuff?” Yuri asked as he unwrapped the crying child from her blanket and gently rested her on the table, while he began to undo the bottom half of her little green onesie, and pulled on the tabs of the diaper she was currently wearing.

“Underneath,” Otabek supplied, “here...” he crouched down and opened one of the table's doors, and pulled out some baby wipes, a fresh diaper, and a bottle of baby powder, which he quickly handed to Yuri. “Want some help?”

“No,” Yuri replied distractedly, “I can do it...”

Otabek seemed to hear the _I need to do it_ tone in Yuri's voice, and stepped back to watch as the new mother awkwardly pulled off the diaper, which was blessedly clear of poop (or mustard, as Otabek kept calling it) and rolled the thing up, resealed the tabs, and dumped it in the garbage before he swiftly grabbed both of Alvinia's ankles in one hand, lifted her bum off the table, and gently slid the new diaper underneath. He moved to seal it when he remembered the wipes and powder, and cursed as he grabbed them, opened them, wiped her little bottom down, and shook a small amount of powder onto her bum before he sealed the diaper and buttoned up her onesie. As he finished, she began to settle, and stared up at Yuri blankly, blinking a little as she gazed at him, like she wasn't sure what had just happened.

“There,” Yuri murmured as he scooped her up carefully, rested her against his shoulder, and began to rub her back. “All better.”

“How do you feel?” Otabek asked as Yuri looked around at the room. The last time he'd been in here everything had still been in boxes, but now the changing table wasn't the only thing in the space, and now included an oak crib to match the table, as well as a rocking chair—which Potya was currently sleeping on—for Yuri to use when he nursed her, as well as stuffed animals and toys positively _everywhere_.

“A little shaky, to be honest,” Yuri replied as he stepped back over to Otabek, and he wrapped his arms around Yuri, standing at his back to gaze down at their child. “I never knew changing a diaper could be so stressful.”

“You're just tired, I think,” Otabek murmured as he pressed a kiss to the top of his shoulder. “You've been through a lot in the last few days. Maybe you can bring her back downstairs and have something to eat, and then have a rest.”

“I won't get much rest when she needs to eat every three hours,” Yuri teased as he rocked her, and pulled her close again, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as he inhaled her fresh, new baby smell. “But strangely,” he added with a rueful smile, “I'm okay with that.”

 

~*~

 

The new family headed downstairs, and as though predicting that Yuri would like to eat, the others were all sitting around the dining room table with a platter of sandwiches, a bowl of salad, and bottles of juice and soft drinks, while the triplets were sitting up in their high chairs as Yuuri, Viktor, and Minami all tried to feed them some sort of unpleasant-looking green goo. Alvinia's high chair was still too big for her (but now bore her name in the same elegant script as the sign on her bedroom door) and next to the two empty chairs was a rocking swing that would not require Alvinia to lift her own head in order to sit comfortably.

“Hungry?” Minami chirped as Yuri and Otabek drew closer, and Yuri smiled meekly as all eyes fell to the little bundle in his arms.

“Starving,” he replied. “How'd you guess?”

“Yuuri ate us all out of house and home when Viktor brought him back from the hospital,” Minami teased, earning him a mock glare from the older omega. “We figured you might be the same.”

“You can sit next to Alvinia,” Otabek offered as he kissed Yuri's cheek, and ran his hand up and down the omega's back comfortingly. “That way if she gets fussy, you'll be right there.”

Yuri nodded, and walked carefully over to the offered seat, which had been accessorized with a thick cushion, and sat himself down before he carefully eased Alvinia into the swing, and buckled her in to make sure she wouldn't topple out. Around him, he could hear the others beginning to pass around the food, but despite his hunger, he couldn't quite tear his eyes away from his child.

“Yuri?”

Yuri turned, and saw Otabek smiling at him uncertainly, and holding out the plate that held the stack of sandwiches. Alvinia gurgled contentedly from next to him, and he felt himself relax a little as he accepted the platter, and set an egg sandwich on his plate, while Otabek poured him some orange juice, and spooned a little salad out for him.

Yuri began to eat, cramming the sandwich quarters into his mouth as his glaze flicked repeatedly over to Alvinia, who appeared to be quite comfortable in her little swing. He smiled a little as he watched her, and jumped a little when a warm hand covered his own, and his gaze dropped down to see Otabek's hand resting on his, and he turned to offer his mate a small smile.

“Alvinia's fine,” Otabek murmured softly so that the others wouldn't overhear, “just try and relax, okay?”

“I wish I knew why I'm so...so... _freaked out_ ,” Yuri muttered back, “I feel like if I take my eyes off her for two seconds, something horrible will happen...”

“You're a new mom, and you had an extremely stressful and traumatic pregnancy,” Otabek murmured, “it's completely normal for you to be hyper-protective of her.” The alpha paused, and pushed Yuri's plate towards him pointedly. “We need to talk about this, but not here. Eat, and we'll go upstairs after. Alvinia and you can both have a nap, and we'll talk about it, okay?”

“Do I _have_ to talk about it?” Yuri asked sourly as he stabbed at one of the strawberries in his salad, and Otabek smiled at him weakly.

“Not if you don't want to, but I think it'd be healthy to get it all out in the open.”

“You're one to talk,” Yuri retorted, and arched a brow at Otabek. “You haven't said a _word_ about what happened to you... _before_.”

“I've been busy taking care of _you_ ,” Otabek muttered evasively, his expression darkening as he turned back to his own plate, while at the same moment, as though she sensed the tension between them, Alvinia let out a tiny, discontented cry.

“Oh, baby,” Yuri cooed as he abandoned the rest of his lunch in favour of unbuckling his daughter and scooping her back up, “you okay?”

Alvinia's cries became more pronounced as Yuri held her and rubbed her back, and he offered up the table an apologetic look as he muttered, “I'm just gonna see if she's hungry,” before he stood up with Alvinia still clutched in his arms, and carried her upstairs as she continued to cry.

Yuri carried his daughter up to her room, and settled down in the rocking chair after he kicked Potya off of it. He unzipped his hoodie and brought Alvinia to his nipple, and the moment she latched on she let out a little sigh, and began to calm down.

As he sat there, holding his child and doing something as simple as feeding her, it felt _right,_ and above all else, it made Yuri feel as though he _could_ do it—he could be the kind of mother Alvinia needed, and perhaps even the kind of mate Otabek needed, and at last he could have something of a normal life.

A soft tapping on Alvinia's door drew Yuri out of his respite, and when he turned he saw Otabek poking his head in, his brow creased with concern.

“She okay?” Otabek asked, and Yuri nodded.

“She was just hungry,” Yuri replied, “I guess it was just a coincidence that she started crying when we were having our...discussion.”

“You could've fed her at the table,” Otabek said gently as he walked over and rested a hand at the back of the omega's neck, rubbing it gently. “I'm sure Yuuri would've done that for the girls.”

“I'm not Yuuri,” Yuri replied tersely, then snorted at how that sounded. “I just mean...it feels weird to undress, or partially undress, in front of everyone like that. It feels better to do it alone, or just with you.”

“What is that, like a quadruple entendre?”

“You know what I mean!” Yuri said as he laughed softly and swatted Otabek's arm. “I just...I dunno. It feels weird to feed her in front of people.”

“Hmm...my only guess is that it's a New Mom thing,” Otabek mused as Alvinia finished eating and Yuri lifted her to his shoulder to burp her. “Maybe you'll feel less weird about it later.”

“Maybe,” Yuri mused as they meandered out of the nursery and into their own bedroom, where a white woven bassinet had been set up next to their own bed—which had finally been repaired following Hurricane Viktor. Yuri laid Alvinia down into the bassinet before he eased down onto the bed next to her with a little sigh. “God, I'm so tired, but I've barely done anything today.”

“Most of the books say you should rest for about a week after giving birth, but it'll take at least three weeks for most of the pain from everything to go away,” Otabek offered as he lay down next to Yuri, and kissed him lightly. “I don't want you to feel like you're power's been taken away, but you've been through a lot these last few months, both emotionally and physically. It wouldn't be a bad idea for you to take a breather.”

“I know,” Yuri replied with a soft sigh as he shifted closer to Otabek. “I'm just frustrated with being _the one who is constantly in bed_.”

“Well, better than _the one who is constantly pregnant?_ ”

“Whenever my heats start up again, Your little soldiers are all benchwarming,” Yuri mumbled as Otabek began to laugh. “I don't want to do this all again for another couple of years— _minimum_.”

“Consider it done,” Otabek replied as he leant in to kiss his mate again. “No pressure, and no rush. Even if you decide to never have another one after Alvinia, that's fine too.”

“Don't you ever get tired of being so perfect?” Yuri teased, and Otabek chuckled softly. “It's so amazing, I mean it. From how you used to be to... _this_. You've changed so much, in a _good_ way. I'm just...I'm so proud to call you my alpha.”

“It's all thanks to you,” Otabek replied with a small, soft smile. “You showed me how wrong I was, and helped me see the error of my ways.”

“I love you, Otabek,” Yuri murmured, and leant in for a small kiss.

“I love you too, Yura,” Otabek said, smiling as he spoke, and kissed Yuri again, more deeply this time.

“Don't do this to me,” Yuri said with a small moan of longing, “the doctor said no sex for six weeks...”

“Yeah, but he didn't say no kissing, did he?”

“Yeah, but when you kiss me like _that_ , it makes me want to do much more than just kiss,” Yuri replied as he arched a pointed brow at his alpha.

“How much more?” Otabek asked teasingly as he ran his hand up and down Yuri's side while he kissed him again, and Yuri let out a tiny moan as Otabek's hand slipped beneath the hem of Yuri's T-shirt and tickled its way up the omega's side.

“I've changed my mind,” Yuri mumbled, “you're an evil, terrible, teasing alpha, and I hate you.”

“Yeah,” Otabek purred as he leant in to nip at Yuri's earlobe, “I can see how much you hate me.” He slid his hand down to trace the outline of Yuri's sweatpants, and he let out another whine of longing and frustration.

“Seriously, stop, you know we can't yet,” Yuri said, and much to his relief, Otabek did indeed stop his teasing, and rested his arm casually across Yuri's waist to draw him close, and offered him a gentle peck upon the lips.

“I'm sorry,” Otabek murmured, “it's just that now that things are calming down, I'm really looking forward to the idea of a normal life with you.”

“Involving lots and lots of sex, perhaps?”

“Is it that obvious?”

“Well the bulge pressing into the side of my leg makes it pretty clear that there's no blood currently in your upstairs brain, yeah,” Yuri replied dryly, and Otabek flushed red as he began to laugh.

“I didn't freak you out, did I?” Otabek asked belatedly as his laughter petered out, and Yuri shook his head.

“I was never really...” he trailed off, and shivered. Talking about his time with the trainer was still difficult. “I didn't get r-raped by _him_ or anything, so sexual touch isn't scary, because I know that it's you. I think if I couldn't see you, it might be more upsetting.”

“But you don't know for sure,” Otabek filled in, and Yuri shook his head.

“No,” he replied, “I don't.”

“I guess only time will tell,” Otabek said, and Yuri smiled up at him humorlessly. “What?”

“It's just...” Yuri paused and bit his lip. “Yuuri and Georgi told me all the basics of what happened to you, and I remember asking you what had happened, but you didn't want to talk about it, so I dropped it. But you never asked me what happened to _me_. Why is that?”

Otabek was quiet for a long moment. Though he was looking at Yuri, his expression was clouded, as though he was lost in memory. His arm around Yuri was so tense that it seemed as though it might snap if Yuri moved too suddenly, and when his alpha finally did speak, his voice was soft and riddled with shame.

“When I was a teenager, my tutor on alpha etiquette got into his head the idea that I would make a good Trainer. I don't know if he ever told my parents this, but he started to focus all of his teaching on punishment and the training of omegas, and it got pretty gruesome...all of the horrible things I could do to an omega...and get away with. He even contacted me after the death of my parents, and told me that there was an opening at one of the local retraining houses that I'd be good for— _perfect for_ , to use his words.” Otabek paused and shuddered, a distinct look of disgust crossing his face, while Yuri reached for his alpha, and took his hand.

Otabek jumped a little, as though he had not expected the sudden contact, but relaxed almost immediately, and laced his fingers with Yuri's, but his gaze was still faraway.

“I told him no,” Otabek continued, “I told him that I had plans to take an omega for myself, and I had no intentions of ever setting foot in one of those places, and I refused to take any more of his calls or respond to his emails. The day after that first call, I went to the Omega House and chose you.” Otabek laughed bitterly as he squeezed Yuri's hand, and Yuri shuffled closer in an effort to comfort him while he continued his story.

“Because of how much I knew about Retraining Houses and Foster Alphas, I never wanted to be one, and the idea that you were subject to it just makes me sick to my stomach—I feel like I've failed you, in letting you get taken. All the horrors I experienced...they pale in comparison to the guilt I feel over you being taken away from me like that. Yes, I was angry that you lied, that you manipulated me, and all the rest, but I was still more upset that you were left in that place...that... _hell_.”

“Alvinia kept me safe,” Yuri said as he leant in to kiss his alpha gently, and stroked his cheek lovingly while he pulled back and continued. “Alvinia kept them from doing their worst to me, and despite all their threats and stuff about how the so-called _real_ training would begin after she was born, I just had this... _feeling_ that I would make it out, find you, and we'd raise Alvinia together. I can't really remember thinking of myself much, I was always thinking about you, or her, or how I needed to protect Alvinia at all costs. I always felt like her life was much more important than mine.”

“You know what that tells me?” Otabek asked as he drew Yuri closer until his was pressed securely but comfortably against his chest.

“No, what?”

“That you're a good mother,” Otabek said, and Yuri snorted as he swatted his chest.

“Shut up.”

“No, I mean it,” Otabek said as he hugged Yuri close again, though his smile had softened to something more loving. “Some omegas would just use the pregnancy as a tool, but you...you used her to protect you, yes, but you did not stop there. You loved her with all your heart, and all your soul, before she was even more than the vaguest spark of life.”

“You don't know that,” Yuri mumbled, “you weren't even there.”

“I know you, Yura,” Otabek replied as he moved to kiss Yuri again. “You never half-ass anything. You will be a good mother to our child, you love her more than your own life, even now, when we are safe. She will grow up loved and cared for in a country that will never hate her for who she is, who her parents are, or who she chooses to love. She will grow up like we did not—safe.”

“Safe...” Yuri echoed as he stared up at his alpha. “It still sounds so strange to me.”

“Maybe in time it will feel less strange, and more normal.”

“I don't think this safety is something I will ever get used to—it's a gift. We need to cherish it.” Yuri paused, and looked away from Otabek to the window, and watched the clouds drift lazily along the line of the sky while Alvinia let out a little huff of breath, and Otabek continued to hold him close.

“She will know what we went through when she is old enough, Yura,” Otabek said softly as he ran his hand up and down Yuri's arm reassuringly. “We'll tell her everything.”

“Before that, there is one thing I want you to tell me—if you're feeling up to it, that is,” Yuri said as he rolled over in Otabek's arms, and returned his gaze to his alpha.

“Yeah? What is it?”

 "I would like you to tell me what happened at the Re-Education Centre."


	38. Pushed Away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next update is scheduled for April 26th. Enjoy! :)

Chapter Thirty-Seven – Pushed Away

 

Whatever Otabek had expected Yuri to say, that clearly had not been it.

Otabek's mouth fell open, and he stared at Yuri with wide eyes of shock, like the omega had suddenly slapped him across the face. He looked hurt, and Yuri could see Otabek mounting his defences in his dark gaze, shutting down before Yuri could elaborate on why he wanted to know, or why Otabek _needed_ to talk about it.

“Why do you want to know?” he asked, his voice emotionless—dead, but laced with warning. “Why do you care?”

“I care because I love you,” Yuri replied as he sat up, and reached for Otabek's hands, but he jerked back as though he'd been burned. “And I don't want to know to laugh at you, or...or to make you feel bad. Beka, you've locked this all up, and it's _poison_. If you don't let it out, it will totally destroy you.

“Bullshit,” Otabek growled, “I'm _fine_ , Yura. I need to be strong, and I need to take care of you and our child, I don't have time to share my damn feelings—”

“We have all the time in the world!” Yuri countered, his voice jumping up in his frustration, but careful to keep it as low as possible, to avoid waking Alvinia. “Beka, you and I have no jobs, and five nannies at our disposal. We have plenty of time to talk this over, and I'm sorry if you think I'm being an ass, but you _need_ to talk about this. You're not being a strong or brave alpha by bottling this all up, you're just ruining yourself. Do you even remember what happened when we were first reunited? You were a total _wreck_.”

“And you think that talking and _sharing_ is some magical cure that will make me all better?” Otabek scoffed nastily, and Yuri winced at his cutting tone, but refused to back down. “When did you turn into such an airy-fairy granola?”

“When did _you_ turn into such a defensive asshole?” Yuri demanded angrily, “Beka, I'm not stupid, I _know_ that talking it out won't solve everything, but it's a start. You can't be all that you need to be with this massive dark cloud in your head. You've done everything that you need to do to be a good alpha, a good mate, and a good father...please, just let me help this time—let me in.”

“No, I can't,” Otabek replied as he jerked away from Yuri and stood up. “Don't you understand that? I _can't_.”

Without another word Otabek swept towards the bedroom door and left Yuri alone, shutting it behind him with a loud _slam_ that woke Alvinia with a startled cry.

Yuri moved quickly to her bassinet and scooped his daughter up, rubbing her back consolingly while he tried to hold back his own tears.

“It's okay, my baby,” Yuri whispered softly, “it's okay, your Äke isn't gone, he just stepped out for a minute...”

Yuri hated how hard he found this to believe, and when he blinked his tears trickled down his cheeks, dampening his daughter's tuft of dark hair.

 

~*~

 

Yuri did not see Otabek for a few days. He knew that he was still around the house—he could hear the low thrum of his voice as he spoke with the others, and he could smell his distinct alpha scent. However, Otabek seemed to have mastered the art of avoiding Yuri, and he never saw him.

During that time, Alvinia was even more fussy than usual. At night, she never slept for more than an hour or two at a time, and Yuri felt like he was spending most of his time trying to console her, rather than anything else. When she woke screaming in the middle of the night, she wasn't hungry, she didn't need her diaper changed, she just wanted one thing, ironically, the same thing that Yuri wanted—Otabek.

 

“He's just a little hurt, Yuri,” Yuuri said comfortingly as they walked through the local farmer's market, Yuuri pushing a three-child stroller with his girls, and Yuri pushing a single with his week-old daughter inside. “I think you pushed a little too hard, and now he's just...” Yuuri trailed off, and offered his companion a sad sort of smile.

“I just wanted to help,” Yuri mumbled as they stopped at an ice-cream stand, and got a pair of cones. Yuuri chose bittersweet chocolate, and Yuri selected a mango sorbet. They continued on until they hit the boardwalk, and sat down with their children and treats at a bench, and watched the water quietly for a few minutes.

“I know you wanted to help,” Yuuri finally said as he dipped his finger in the chocolate, and offered a little to Yuriko, who did not seem to like the sharp taste of the dark chocolate very much, if the way she scrunched up her little face was any indication. “But I think you pushed too hard. He's been talking with Viktor a lot, and he's just...hurt.”

“I just wanted to help,” Yuri repeated as he stared down at his melting cone, and took a bite out of it. It was sweet, but not cloyingly so. If he wasn't mistaken, he could taste honey mixed in with the fruit, but he wasn't sure. “I knew things were bad for him, but...” Yuri trailed off, and shook his head with a soft, defeated sigh.

“I think you need to let him come to you, and tell you in his own time,” Yuuri said as he rested a consoling hand on Yuri's knee. A seagull landed on the boardwalk's rail and squawked at them, but took off almost immediately when the triplets began to squeal excitedly and reach for it.

“I guess I was too impatient,” Yuri replied as he watched the gull take off, “I just...” Yuri shook his head; repeating himself wouldn't do any good.

“Talking about it _would_ help him, but right now he's probably still coming to terms with all that's happened—he might not even remember lots of it.”

“What? Why not?”

“Otabek's not like you, Yuri,” Yuuri replied as he broke into the side of his waffle cone, crunching on it loudly, “You're tough—you're _really_ tough. You lived a rough life, and you learnt early on how to cope with it. Otabek never had to do that. He and Viktor...they had charmed lives; golden goose and silver spoon in their mouths, or whatever the phrase is. Anyway, Otabek experienced something really, really horrible, and he had no tools to cope with it, he had no idea how, so he just pushed it all down, and now you're asking him to drag it all back to the surface. Can you even imagine how scary that must be for him?”  
  
“I...never thought about it that way,” Yuri mumbled, and hung his head. “What am I supposed to do now? Apologize? He's completely avoiding me.”

“I'll ask Viktor to talk to him, maybe that will convince him to come see his daughter, at least,” Yuuri replied with a small, sad smile. “But don't push. He'll tell you what happened when he's ready to—or if he ever is.”

“I screwed everything up,” Yuri said, his voice breaking a little, “things were so perfect, and I had to go and...” he broke off with a shaky, sad sigh, and shook his head.

“You didn't screw everything up,” Yuuri replied in a comforting tone, but firmly at the same time. “You were right in thinking that Otabek needs to talk about it to free himself of the memories, but you're also asking him to dredge everything to the surface again. He's got his bullheaded, Alphas-Need-To-Take-Care-Of-Things-Themselves mentality working against him, and he just doesn't understand how sharing his burden is helpful, not hurtful. You just need to give him some time. Enjoy Alvinia, bask in the wonders of new parenthood, get some real sleep...and let him come to you when he's ready.”

“I was with you until _get some real sleep_ ,” Yuri teased, and Yuuri laughed. 

“We have a milk pump somewhere, I'll show you how to use it, and you can crash for a few hours,” Yuuri offered, “and we'll take care of our niece if she gets hungry. If nothing else, it'll help you think a little more clearly.”

“I'll think about it,” Yuri replied as he bit into the side of his cone, and reached down with his free hand to brush his fingers across Alvinia's forehead. “The idea of leaving her with other people, even if it's you guys, is still a little weird for me.”

“I know, Yuri, it's a New Mom thing, I was the same way with the girls. I'd _freak_ if I couldn't see them at all times.” Yuuri paused to pop the rest of his cone into his mouth, looking like some sort of rabbit with the cone poking out between his lips as he munched on it, and began to speak again once he'd swallowed. “But you can't be everything that Alvinia needs if you're running on fumes, you know? No pressure, but think it over. We can even keep Alvinia in your room until you nod off, then bring her downstairs while you rest.”

“I don't know if that'd work,” Yuri replied with a weak laugh, “knowing you guys planned to take her away the second I nodded off...I have a feeling it'd have the opposite effect.”

“Fair,” Yuuri agreed with a laugh of his own, “to be honest, I think I'd be the same if I was in your shoes. We'll think of something, though, we always do.”

 

Yuri and Yuuri made it home in the early afternoon so that their kids could have their naps. Alvinia was already fussing, and when they pulled into the driveway Yuri nearly sang his relief. If he was being completely honest, he could do with a nap himself after his and Yuuri's tough conversation earlier that day.

“All right,” Yuuri proclaimed as he pocketed the car keys and offered his fellow omega a smile, “let's get these little beasts inside for some snacks and nap-naps.”

Yuri snorted at Yuuri's word-choice, but nodded as he circled to the back and unbuckled Alvinia from her car seat while Yuuri unloaded the triplets' stroller from the trunk.

“Need help?” Yuri asked as he gathered his daughter up, and Yuuri shook his head.

“You go on ahead—you've got a fussy one there. I'll be right behind you.”

Yuri nodded and turned with Alvinia in his arms, who was whining, but not really crying yet, and headed for the door.

“We're back,” Yuri called as he stepped in, lifting his knee on impulse to stop Makkachin from bowling him over, while Potya meowed and wound around his ankles. Viktor hopped up from the sofa and ran over to pull Makkachin away by his collar while he offered Yuri a small smile.

“Welcome home,” he said, “where's Yuuri?”

“Outside,” Yuri replied while Potya continued to rub up against his ankles. “He was still getting the stroller out of the trunk when I headed in—this one's a little cranky.”

As if on cue, Alvinia opened her mouth and began to wail.

“I'll be back,” Yuri said with an apologetic look over his daughter's crying, and stepped around the cat as he headed upstairs with his child, rubbing her back as he went, but her crying didn't stop. He groaned a little, but continued to coo at her as he held her close, heading into her nursery to sit down in his rocking chair and offer her a feed, which did nothing to quiet her cries.

“Come on, sweetheart,” Yuri murmured as he brought her back up to his shoulder, and slipped back into his and Otabek's bedroom. “Just have a nice nap, for me? Your Mat` would _love_ a nice nap...”

Alvinia continued to cry loudly, while Yuri checked her diaper—dry—and tried to feed her again, with no results. Yuri almost felt like crying himself as he paced in his room, humming tunelessly to her while he rubbed her back for close to twenty minutes, when he heard a soft knock on the door.

“Come in,” Yuri called, and to his astonishment, in stepped Otabek.

“Speaking to me again, are you?” Yuri asked coldly over Alvinia's screaming, and Otabek hung his head.

“I heard Alvinia crying,” he explained, “can I help?”

Under normal circumstances, Yuri may have refused out of spite, but he was so desperate to get her to stop crying that he was willing to do just about anything, not that he would make it easy for Otabek in the process.

“Amazing, really,” Yuri said scathingly as he held out the child to him, “she needs to scream her head off to get you to give a damn.”

Otabek frowned at Yuri, but didn't answer as he accepted the wailing child, and pulled her close. He rubbed her back as she cried, and after a moment, Otabek opened his mouth, and he began to sing.

 

“ _Awılım köşip baradı Almalığa,_

_Kim könbeydi tağdırdıñ salğanına (-ay-aaw)_

_Körmegeli köp aydıñ jüzi boldı,_

_Ata-anamnıñ xabarın almağalı (-ay-aaw)_

_Äy-äy, böpem,_

_Keyin qalğan elimdi_

_Körer me ekem (aaw)..._ ”

 

Otabek continued to sing, His voice soft and smooth, the words—Kazakh, presumably—made no sense to Yuri, but it was clearly a lullaby of some kind. Alvinia seemed to like it too, as she settled in Otabek's arms, and let out a little sigh as she quieted down, then fell asleep.

Yuri sat down heavily on the end of the bed, and watched Otabek carry Alvinia over to her bassinet and set her down. When he turned back around, Yuri opened his mouth to speak.

“Beka—”

“Yura—” Otabek said at the same time.

“Sorry,” Yuri replied as he laughed weakly. “Um, you first.”

“I'm sorry for what I said to you—all of it. I just...I was...”

“...scared?” Yuri offered, and with a wince, Otabek nodded.

“I'm sorry too,” Yuri said with a small sigh, and stood up, moving towards Otabek, and took one of his hands. “I shouldn't have pushed so hard, but I'm just worried about you. You don't need to be Mister Alpha Protector all the time. Sometimes it's okay to let people in.”

“No, you're right,” Otabek replied with a grimace, “I was stupid. I avoided you and slept in the guest room for a whole week because I couldn't deal with what I went through...”

“Beka, you went through something _huge_ , and I didn't get that you needed to tell me in your own time—”

“But _I_ should trust you more,” Otabek interrupted, his voice laced with guilt, “and I should have let you in—”

Yuri opened his mouth to speak, then closed it almost at once as he offered Otabek a small, amused smile.

“So,” Yuri hedged, “are we gonna at least agree that we're both assholes?”

“Sounds about right,” Otabek replied, and opened his arms to Yuri. Yuri launched himself at his alpha, and Otabek held him close as he pressed a kiss to his temple, then his lips. “Yura...I'm _so_ sorry.”

Yuri felt the proverbial dam break, and with a soft whimper he hugged Otabek close. The alpha chuckled softly as Yuri wept into his shoulder, holding tight to him, trailing a hand up and down his back while he pulled Yuri down onto the bed, allowing the omega to rest against him.

 

Yuri hadn't realized that he'd fallen asleep, but when Yuri next woke it was dark outside, and Alvinia was—amazingly—still asleep in her bassinet. Otabek was holding him and stroking his hair, certifying to Yuri that he had not imagined their reconciliation, and it had really happened.

“Hey,” Yuri said groggily, and Otabek smiled at him.

“Hey,” he replied, and leant in for a kiss, one which Yuri happily returned.

“What time is it?” he asked as he sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, while Otabek followed his movements in order to keep his arms around his omega.

“Almost eleven,” he replied, “you slept for about nine hours.”

“And Alvinia?” Yuri asked as he gazed over at his little girl, “she didn't sleep the whole way through, did she?”

“No,” Otabek said with a soft chuckle, “She woke up a few times, but I took care of things so you wouldn't wake up. I'm sorry, Yura, for leaving you alone...especially when I promised that I wouldn't.”

Yuri opened his mouth to respond, confused as to why Otabek would apologize for leaving Yuri alone for a few minutes at a time to take care of their child, when after a half beat he realized that the alpha meant over the past week.

“It's okay,” Yuri replied with a vague shrug. “I mean...it's not okay, but it's okay. Does that make sense?”

“I think so,” Otabek replied with a soft chuckle, then his expression abruptly shifted from warm to uncertain, as quickly as flicking a switch. “Um, Yura...would you mind coming outside with me? I want to talk to you, but I don't want to wake Alvinia. We can bring the baby monitor in case she wakes up.”

Yuri's immediate gut reaction was to protest—leaving Alvinia alone was still difficult for him. However, something in Otabek's soft and vulnerable expression gave Yuri the impression that whatever it was was important, and not something that they could put off.

“Yeah, okay,” Yuri replied after a short pause. “Can we bring the blanket out with us?”

“Sure,” Otabek said as he smiled faintly, and took Yuri by the hand, helping him to his feet before he stripped the comforter off the bed. Otabek carried it folded over one arm, while he led Yuri with the other, stopping just long enough for his omega to set up the baby monitor before he let Otabek lead the way out of the room.

They made their way down the stairs silently, stopping in the living room when Makkachin hopped down from the sofa where Minami and Phichit were curled up together watching TV, and bounced over to them, his mouth open in a wide doggie smile.

“Shh, Makkachin,” Yuri whispered when he began to whine and jump at them. “You'll wake the whole house up.”

“Makka!” Phichit called softly, and whistled. “Come back over here, you were keeping our feet nice and warm!”

“Go on, Makkachin,” Yuri said as he nudged the dog with his foot, “you're not coming with us.”

Makkachin whined, and Yuri gave him another nudge while Phichit called for him again, and finally the dog turned away and trotted back over to Phichit and Minami, curling up at the end of the sofa once more.

“I guess you two are talking again?” Minami asked as they approached the sofa, and Yuri smiled meekly as he glanced over to Otabek.

“Something like that,” Yuri replied, then fingered a wave at the couple as he turned and led his mate outside, and the porch light immediately switched on.

“Damn, hang on...” Otabek said as he dumped the blanket on the porch swing, and hurried back inside. Yuri set down the baby monitor on one of the little outdoor tables while he waited, and jumped a little in surprise when the light suddenly flicked off, and plunged him into semidarkness.

Yuri shifted uncomfortably, memories of his time at the Retraining Centre floating to the surface of his mind immediately. They were held at bay by the fact that it was not pitch-black—the lights from inside of the house painted the deck with squares of yellow light, the crescent moon refracted off the lake, and in the distance, Yuri could see tiny pinpricks of light, like stars, from the houses across the water.

“Not back, I'm not back at that place, I can see,” Yuri whispered to himself, and smiled a little when Otabek stepped back onto the deck, holding a citronella candle inside some sort of lantern in his hands.

“I'm sorry,” Otabek said as he got closer, “I forgot about the darkness thing, and I brought this back, for mosquitoes and for light. Is this okay?”

“Yeah,” Yuri replied, and offered him a small smile, “I can see you, so it's good. Why don't we get comfortable, and we can talk?”

“Okay,” Otabek said, his voice dropping in volume and seeming to weaken, making it sound as though it wasn't okay at all. Yuri nodded once, guessing that the response was out of nerves, rather than reluctance, and moved to set down the candle next to the baby monitor while Yuri took to the task of straightening out the blanket they'd brought before the pair settled down side-by-side, wrapped the blanket around them, and eased back against the rocking porch seat together.

“This is nice,” Otabek offered after a moment of silence, “we haven't been able to do something like this...well, ever.”

“Yeah,” Yuri agreed as he leant against Otabek's side, “I guess...well, things have been a bit chaotic up 'til now.”

“Yeah,” Otabek replied as he coiled an arm around Yuri's shoulders to draw him closer, and took a small breath. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“I think...I think I can do this,” Otabek said, and Yuri raised his eyebrows in confusion. “Tell you, I mean.”

“Tell me... _oh._ ” Yuri's eyes widened a little. “Are you sure? I mean, after what you said last time...”

“No,” Otabek interrupted, his voice a little harsher than normal. “I want to—I _need_ to. This will help, right? Everyone's said so, so...I'll tell you, but you need to listen, okay? I only want to tell this story once, then it's over—finished. I don't want to say it twice.”

“Yeah,” Yuri replied as he mirrored Otabek, and wrapped an arm around him. “Whenever you're ready.”

“Okay,” Otabek said again, and relaxed a little as he turned to Yuri, and began to speak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The song in this chapter was called Ay Ay Böpem, or Hey Hey Baby in English. According to my research, it's a traditional Kazakh lullaby. The stanza in this chapter says, “My village is moving to Amali/Who does not give up to what fate prepared/It has been many months that I haven't seen and heard any news from my parents/Hey, hey my baby/My land that was left behind/Will I see it?” This translation is a little jumbled and awkward, but I hope that it makes sense ^^;


	39. Otabek's Tale

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next update scheduled for May 3rd, aka my birthday ^.^
> 
> All the italic segments in this chapter will cover Otabek's experiences. These scenes will contain Electroconvulsive Therapy, torture, violence, starvation, sleep deprivation, disassociation, infanticide-related hallucinations, gory hallucinations, abuse, and some gross things that I'm not totally sure how to categorize. If you wish to skip over it all, just avoid the italics.

Chapter Thirty-Eight – Otabek's Tale

 

_The floor of the police car rumbled. It vibrated so hard that Otabek thought that he was being transported over uneven road or a bed of rocks, but after a moment, he realized that it was not the car trembling, but him._

_Otabek stared ahead. His fear was so acute that though he was aware that the policemen were speaking, he could understand none of the words. They were oddly muffled, as though he was hearing them from behind a thick pane of glass._

_Yuri was gone._

_Yuri was pregnant._

_Yuri had_ betrayed _him._

_The three thoughts did not aid in calming him, and he felt his eyes sting at the thought of it. It was true, as Otabek had always suspected—Yuri had never loved him, and only used him as needed to keep himself safe._

_Otabek blinked. Tears leaked from his eyes and streaked his cheeks. He heard the policemen laugh, but he ignored it as he allowed the tears to drip from his chin and into his lap. He felt as though he was traversing the road to Hell, and nothing helped to calm him or bring him peace. Everything he had ever done was a selfish act; everyone he had ever loved had either left him or never loved him in return._

Sheshe, _Otabek thought miserably,_ I wish I knew what to do.

 

_The police car stopped in front of a grey, rectangular building, with bars on its windows. It was surrounded by a thick fence made of brick walls, and it was topped with curls of barbed wire. The interior of the landscape was strewn with bodies and splatters of blood staining the snow. Some of the figures were moving feebly, others were still and screaming, while the rest were black—frozen and dead, left to rot in the harsh elements of Russian winter._

_Otabek was dragged from the cab of the car, and though he could hear the tone of the police officers' voices as they spoke scathingly to him, the words refused to register, and he would not answer them._

_Angry and disgusted, they shoved Otabek to the ground. The alpha grunted with pain as his chin bit into the asphalt, hard enough that he felt the skin break, and a thin rivulet of blood trickled from the small wound and down his throat, before it soaked into his shirt._

_Dragged to his feet again, Otabek was frogmarched to the door, where he was transferred to the care of a thick, heavyset man, visibly strong despite his girth, with a bald head and small, beady eyes._

_Otabek was shunted into a locked cell with thick bars over the window and door. Once inside, he was forced out of his clothes. It was only then that Otabek realized that the inside of the building was almost as bitingly cold as the outside, and as he looked around the cell, the gravity of his situation began to hit him._

_Nothing._

_Save for a pail in the corner, Otabek had no bed, no blankets, and the floor was made of ice-cold concrete._

What is going to happen to me? _Otabek wondered as he rubbed his hands up and down his arms, and gazed out of the barred door of the cell._ One year in this place...will I even survive it? Do I have any reason to?

_Otabek had no answer, and shifted back to the farthest corner of the cell, the move reminding him chillingly of the only time he had beaten Yuri in punishment, and he felt a sick sense of bitter irony wash over him. Yuri had been so scared—terrified—during that encounter, and now he was getting his just rewards. Otabek sank down into the spot, buried his face in his knees, and tried to forget Yuri Plisetsky._

_Days passed. Otabek was given no food or water, and his stomach ached in protest. His lips were cracked, and the inside of his mouth was sticky and uncomfortable. Swallowing was difficult, and his head spun from the lack of nutrients._

_On the fifth day, he was given a bottle of water. As desperate as he was, he chugged half of it down too quickly, and threw it all back up again into his bucket. The second half he took much more slowly, but his stomach still ached and protested the sudden intake, and Otabek struggled to keep it down._

_No food. Otabek began to try and not look at himself as his body fat and muscle seemed to dissolve, and after twenty days of no contact—save for the occasional bottle of water or scant bite of food—he began to wonder if they would simply allow him to starve to death._

_“Time for your education to begin,” a scathing voice said, jerking him from a fitful sleep the very next morning, exactly three weeks into his incarceration._

_Otabek was marched still naked and shivering down a narrow hallway. He was too weak to fight even if he wanted to, and felt a wave of panic nearly overwhelm him as he was led into The Room._

_A wooden chair sat in the centre. Steel cuffs upon the arms and legs of the chair were affixed to curls of wire, and there was a steel dome set upon the top like a hat. More wires with suction cups dangled from the wall, and upon a table there were a row of dowels, all marked with deep tooth marks in the pale wood._

_Electroconvulsive Therapy._

_“No,” Otabek croaked, and tried to back up, but the man at his back merely laughed and shoved him forward._

_“You seem to be under the misapprehension that you have a_ choice _, Mr Altin,” the man sneered. “You don't. A lowly_ omega _deprogrammed you, and it is our job to fix that crass mistake. When you leave here—”_

_The man broke off, and laughed._

_“Or, should I say,_ if _you leave here, you will be a better, stronger alpha, and more than capable of taking an omega, and keeping him firmly in his place.”_

_“And my child?” Otabek rasped shakily, “my omega—Y-Yuri, he was pregnant, I—ah!”_

_Otabek crumpled to the ground as the man hit him across the face. His cheek ached, and he looked up at the man as he wiped off the hand he'd used to hit Otabek with with a handkerchief, as though Otabek was carrying some sort of contagious disease._

_“You have no child, and no omega,” the man snapped. “You shall never see that beastly omega ever again.”_

_~*~_

_The electricity of the chair was not designed to kill, only to hurt—but excruciatingly so._

_The dowel in Otabek's mouth muffled his screams. His body was frozen by the electricity as choked cries escaped him from a blinding pain that he had never previously known. During his sessions, he tried to remember how much electricity the body could take before the heart gave out, but he could never remember. His skin was pink and smoking when he was finally freed, and he always had to be carried back to his cell at the end of it._

_His feedings were sparse and irregular. He could discover no pattern, beyond the fact that they were meant to keep him feeble of mind and body. They were small, barely a mouthful at first, and gradually they went up to a roll of bread every couple of days, fed only when it became impossible for Otabek to stay conscious without some form of sustenance._

 

_“Today we're going to have fun, fun, fun!” chirped his guard in a terrifyingly chipper voice one day, though Otabek had no idea when it was—the days had all begun to bleed together, and Otabek was no longer able to pick one out of the din. “It's a movie day, isn't that exciting?_ And _, on top of it, we got you a front row seat. It's called,_ A Good Alpha _.”_

_“Somehow, I doubt this film is one I'm supposed to enjoy,” Otabek rasped as he dragged himself across the floor, far too weak to stand on his own. “I think I'll pass.”_

_“Now, now, we've discussed your backtalk. If you keep it up, you'll have to be punished again. Is that what you want?”_

_Otabek fell silent._

_“Yeah, that's what I thought,” he sneered. “You're too weak to withstand multiple beatings, and we don't want you to keel over on us. So if you keep it up, I have a really nice punishment in mind for you.”_

_“I can take it, do your fucking worst,” Otabek snarled, though his voice was so soft and whispery that it did not sound very threatening._

_“If you wish,” the man said with a high giggle and clapped his hands twice. “Vladimir! Dmitri! Punishment Number Fifty-Three for Mister Mouthy Tough Guy.”_

_“Oh, another one, eh?” chortled one of them as they sidled into view. Otabek had anticipated another guard, and he felt a cold chill run through him as a doctor and nurse stepped up to his cell. “Shall we do it here, or would you rather we do it in the examination room?”_

_“I shall have one of the guards help you move him,” he said, “there will not be enough space in the cell once he starts thrashing around.”_

_“Oh, yes, stitching a mouth shut certainly gets messy...”_

_Otabek froze, and his guard smirked when he spotted the reaction out of the corner of his eye._

_“Oh, did we not tell you?” he asked sweetly, “that's the punishment. You wanted our worst, well congratulations, we're giving it to you.”_

_With the two guards bracketing him, Otabek was dragged screaming and thrashing out of his cell, down the hall, and up two flights of stairs to the infirmary. A number of the beds were already filled with alphas recovering from burns, severe frostbite, and a number of broken limbs, but there was one empty bed at the end that there were dragging him towards remorselessly as he continued to cry out._

_The guards all but threw him down onto the cot, one holding his wrists, the other his ankles as he was strapped down onto it. Otabek struggled, but in between his weakened limbs and the strength of his captors, he could do little more than scream as the nurse grabbed his head and jammed a needle into the space around his mouth, numbing his lips._

_“Can't feel...I can't feel...” he mumbled, his words clumsy and slurred._

_“Of course not, idiot,” the doctor scoffed as he stepped up to him, snapping on a pair of rubber gloves as he went. “Wouldn't want you to faint, now would we? This is supposed to be a punishment, after all, and it is not very_ punishing _if you're unconscious for it.”_

_“No...” Otabek moaned as he watched the doctor thread a thick suture needle and bring it close to his face._

_“Now, hold still,” the doctor said, “if it tears, this will take twice as long, and I don't want that local anaesthetic to wear off...”_

_Otabek stared at the ceiling with tears streaming down his cheeks. He could feel no pain, but he could feel the faint tug of the thread as his mouth was steadily sealed. He tried to move it experimentally, but half of it would not open, and that fact sent a horrifying chill through him. Otabek began to hyperventilate while the doctor and guards laughed merrily, and soon, he couldn't open his mouth at all._

_“All right,” the doctor said abruptly, “gas him.”_

_Before Otabek was able to react, a mask was placed over his nose, as well as his bloody, sealed mouth. He blacked out, and when he woke again there was a capped tube jutting from the base of his throat, surrounded by thick suture thread—a feeding tube inserted into his throat, and he could feel it go all the way down into his stomach. Otabek buried his face in his hands, and let out a muffled scream._

_The months progressed with a new torture every day. His mouth remained stitched shut, and it took what felt like ages to heal. He was fed through the tube, tiny portions of some sort of liquefied meal and water, which made his breath taste like the inedible parts of a chicken. It made him feel sick, but he couldn't vomit it up—he'd lost the number of times he fought his own gag reflex to keep the vile meals down._

_He was shown the video after he'd acclimated to his sealed mouth. Special dull hooks, like paperclips, were slipped under both lids of his eyes, forcing them to stay open, with an eye-drop apparatus above it, misting his eyes periodically to keep them from drying out. The video in question was nothing short of horrific._

_Not unlike the fifties-style American how-to videos, it showed graphic images of an alpha beating and raping his own omega, with an upbeat narration paired with every action._

_“This is Kyev,” the narrator said, “he is The Good Alpha. Kyev rules his household, and keeps his omega in line...”_

_“Here we see the omega acting out. Shame on him! Kyev knows what to do, and punishes his omega accordingly for not preparing the evening meal correctly...”_

_“And once a month, the omega goes into heat. Here is the naughty omega resisting the advances of Kyev, but Kyev knows what to do! Tying down an omega is an easy way to stop his pesky struggling, and shows the omega that the easiest thing to do is just give in. It is more pleasurable for everyone involved...”_

_Foolishly, Otabek thought that if he just shut down, it would help him to cope with everything that was happening. His mind descended into a dark void, and he stopped listening to the film. When he brought his mind back to the present, it wasn't by choice, but by painful cold. He was outside, still naked, his skin red and blue from laying in the snow._

_His pained cries were muffled, and he blacked out again. When he woke, he was back in his cell, his skin red, but thankfully, all his limbs were still attached. He disassociated again._

_His disassociation was not looked on kindly by the educators and guards. He was ripped from his peaceful dark by any means necessary—beatings, whippings, cutting, boiling water thrown on him, food restriction, and at last—sleep restriction._

_The sleep restriction, while technically painless, was the worst. His yawns tugged at his mouth sutures and made them bleed. Every time he started to nod off he was beaten into wakefulness, and felt sick and dizzy from the lack of rest. Dark shapes floated into his vision, making him scream inside, still unable to vocalize the horrors of what he was seeing—visions of Yuri with no eyes, Yuri with his stomach cut open, and a bloody infantile corpse in his bloody arms. Vacant, dead faces of his friends and family, every horror imaginable brought before his sleepless eyes._

_When he was to be moved, Otabek was convinced that the vision of Georgi was simply another illusion. He was like a messenger of death, and Otabek welcomed it._

_Except, it wasn't death. It was a doctor—a_ real _doctor. He mended Otabek's wounds, he carefully removed the tube from his throat and sealed the hole. He snipped the mouth sutures away and cleaned the wounds, on the cusp of infectious, they'd barely caught it in time. Otabek's various wounds and broken bones were tended to, and under the doctor's care, he was taken care of day and night, until he was deemed healthy enough to travel, and brought to the airport where his friends were waiting._

~*~

 

“You know the rest,” Otabek said dully, while Yuri stared up at him with wide eyes, his mouth dropped open in horror. Otabek would not look at him, and instead kept his eyes down in shame. His shoulders were slumped, and he was picking at a loose thread on the blanket, his entire form tense, as though he was bracing himself for something.

_He's bracing himself for me to leave him_ , Yuri realized as he gazed at his alpha. In the dark, it was difficult to see all of Otabek, but Yuri had seen him enough times in recent months to know that he had many new scars, and knowing where they came from made Yuri ache with sadness.

Yuri reached for his alpha, his hand skating over the back of Otabek's arm lightly, and though he jumped at the sudden contact, he did not pull away.

“I love you, Beka,” Yuri murmured as he trailed his fingers down the alpha's arm to his hand, and threaded their fingers together. “Knowing what you went through...I can't help but be in awe of you; you're so strong for enduring that and coming out the other side of it in one piece. You've been here for our daughter, and for me, and now it's my turn to be here for you. You don't have to carry this all on your own, not anymore. Thank you for telling me.”

Yuri leant in to kiss him on the forehead, and felt his alpha trembling like a leaf. Like he'd done so many times with Alvinia, Yuri pulled Otabek close and pressed the alpha's head to his shoulder. He rocked Otabek slowly, and a choking sob slipped past his mate's lips. Yuri rubbed his back, hushing him gently while Otabek clutched onto Yuri and wept.

“It's all right, my alpha,” Yuri murmured as Otabek continued to cry and clutched to him desperately, as though he was afraid that Yuri might suddenly disappear. “You have been strong for long enough. I'm here, I love you—I will _always_ love you. Just let it all out.”

Otabek wept, holding tightly to Yuri as all the pain, all the anguish, and all the trauma was leached from his body like poison from a wound. Yuri held onto him, rubbing his back and rocking him like a child while he tried to process everything that Otabek had told him. It was even worse than he could have imagined, even knowing beforehand all of the tortures that Otabek had been exhibited to, it could not have prepared him for the horrifying truths of what Otabek had endured for the sin of treating an omega like a human being, instead of chattel.

The alpha was quick to exhaust himself, and once he seemed to have finished crying, Yuri eased him to his feet, walked him back into the house, up the stairs, and into their bedroom. Once inside, he helped Otabek change into his pyjamas before putting him to bed, then returned to the back deck to retrieve the blanket and baby monitor and extinguish the candle, just as the first few drops of rain tickled his nose and began to paint dark spots upon the wad of warm fabric in his arms.

Yuri made it back inside just as the rush of heavy rain began to fall, while the sky rumbled with thunder and flashes of sheet lightning, which, amazingly, did not disturb Alvinia—if the silence on the other end of the monitor was anything to go by.

The omega headed upstairs in silence, Minami and Phichit having apparently gone to bed, and amidst the soft rush of summer rain and rumbles of thunder, his mate and his daughter slept on peacefully.

Yuri draped the blanket over Otabek, and smiled as the alpha let out a soft sigh of contentment as he rolled over, hugging the blanket like a treasured childhood toy. Yuri smiled at the sight, and reached out to brush his fingers across Otabek's forehead before he leant in to kiss him gently, and finally changed out of his own clothes and into his pyjamas before he joined his mate, curling up and smiling more broadly as Otabek hugged him close, the demons of the past finally abandoning their host, and it seemed as though Otabek was finally beginning to forgive himself for enduring such a horrible ordeal.


	40. Forever

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is technically the last chapter, the following one will be the epilogue next week on May 10th. This week was my finals week, so I did not have as much time as usual to edit, so apologies in advance for any mistakes (and in fact this is the only weekly update I managed to finish on time x.x) enjoy!

Chapter Thirty-Nine – Forever

 

When Yuri woke the next morning, it was to the sweet scene of Otabek pacing at the end of their bed, Alvinia cradled in his arms while he crooned to her softly in Kazakh.

Yuri smiled as he watched how calm and peaceful both Otabek and Alvinia seemed that morning, despite the chaos of the night before. There was evidence that it had occurred, and was not actually some sort of wild nightmare—in particular upon Otabek's face. His eyes were puffy and ringed with dark shadows and he was a little paler than usual, as though he had been crying recently.

Yuri shifted in bed, and Otabek's gaze slid up towards him with a warm smile on his face.

“Morning,” he said, and Yuri mirrored his smile.

“Morning,” he replied, “what time is it?”

“Almost eight,” Otabek said as he sat down on his side of the bed, and Yuri sidled up to his alpha, and rested his head on Otabek's shoulder while he continued to rock their daughter. “Alvinia was hungry at about six, so I gave her a bottle, but she wasn't down for long, I've just been...watching her.”

“Watching her?” Yuri asked, and Otabek nodded, a small, meek smile spreading across his lips as he did so.

“Yeah,” he replied, “she makes all the horrors of what I told you fall away. She doesn't make it better, not really, just...harder to think about, if that makes sense.”

“Yeah, I get that,” Yuri agreed as he reached out to touch Alvinia's cheek before his hand fell to cover one of Otabek's. The alpha smiled softly, but his eyes did not stray from his daughter. “She makes the horrors less horrible, almost...worth it, in an odd way. I don't know if that's how it is for you, but that's the feeling I get whenever I'm having a bad day, when I pick her up, and I just hold her, things are...better.”

“Man, we're both pretty screwed up, aren't we?” Otabek asked, and Yuri chuckled a little as he leant in to offer Otabek a gentle kiss.

“Yeah, but we have each other, so that makes up for some of it,” Yuri teased, and Otabek chuckled softly.

 

Yuri and Otabek took turns showering, and afterwards, Yuri noted that Otabek looked much better. The puffiness of his eyes was less, and he seemed significantly calmer, in particular when Yuri passed Alvinia to him, and his expression immediately softened as he carried her downstairs, where the others were already up and preparing breakfast.

“ _Dóbroye ōtro_ , Yuratchka,” his grandfather greeted with a warm smile, “and how is my _právnōchka_ this morning?”

“ _Dóbroye ōtro,_ Grandpa,” Yuri replied with a smile while Otabek passed the baby over, and Nikolai accepted her gladly. “She's fine, she's been pretty calm all morning.”

“That is good to hear,” Nikolai said, bouncing the baby a little in his arms while Yuuri and Minami puttered around in the kitchen, Viktor and Phichit were setting the table, and the triplets were perched in their high chairs, babbling happily.

“What's for breakfast?” Yuri asked as his suddenly as his stomach gurgled, and Nikolai chuckled a little at his words.

“Minami and Yuuri are preparing what they call a _Mostly Traditional Japanese Breakfast_ ,” Nikolai said, and Yuri raised his eyebrows in confusion.

“ _Mostly?_ ” he asked, blinking bemusedly.

“ _Because we couldn't find nattō or whitefish!_ ” Yuuri called from the kitchen, and everyone laughed as the two Japanese omegas returned to their jovial singing and clattering about.

“They are _way_ too hyper for such an early hour,” Yuri said softly, shaking his head, while Nikolai chuckled in agreement.

 

Fifteen minutes later, the table was set with what Minami and Yuuri had called their _Mostly Traditional Japanese Breakfast_ , which consisted of bowls of miso soup and white rice, omelette rolled into a spiral and sliced like sushi, and slices of cured ham, which had been pan-fried, along with _sencha_ green tea.

Something not unlike a little teapot filled with soy sauce had been placed in the centre of the table, while the triplets got little bowls of strained carrots. Admittedly, the food looked good, but hardly what Yuri considered to be breakfast food.

“ _Itadakimasu!_ ” Yuuri and Minami both said with their hands clapped together as though in prayer, and Viktor and Phichit mimicked them enthusiastically, while Yuri, Otabek, and Nikolai stared at them bemusedly.

Despite the strangeness of the meal, it turned out to be quite delicious, if a little bland for Yuri's hardened Russian tastebuds. The same could not be said for Yuriko, Viktoria, and Antonia's breakfasts, if their discomfited cries and the orange splatters on Minami, Yuuri, and Viktor's faces and clothing were anything to go by.

“So I was thinking,” Yuuri said as he flicked a spot of carrot off his cheek, “do you want to go down to the beach today? All of us, with Avi?”

“ _Avi_?” Yuri demanded thickly around a mouthful of egg, and raised his eyebrows at the older omega, who merely grinned at him.

“She needs a nickname, Yurio,” Yuuri teased, and sipped his tea before continuing. “Anyway, I was thinking we could all go down for a beach day. We have a mini portable grill somewhere, and I thought we could relax with some sun, sand, and hamburgers...but hopefully no crayfish this time.”

“Poor wittle Viktoria's doesn't like crayfish, does she?” Viktor cooed at his daughter, and she babbled excitedly as he tried to get her to eat another mouthful of carrots, most of which ended up on her face, rather than in her mouth.

“Yeah, that sounds good,” Yuri agreed, “I think the new wardrobes that you bought us included swimsuits, and I think _all_ of us could use a little relaxation.”

A chorus of agreeing laughter sounded around the table, and Yuri smiled warmly as he reached for Otabek's hand, and offered it a gentle squeeze.

 

~*~

 

Like a procession of ants, Yuri, Otabek, Yuuri, Viktor, Minami, Phichit, and Nikolai, most of whom were supporting a child in their arms, meandered down the narrow path from their back deck to the lakeside. Minami, Phichit, and Nikolai carried the grill and cooler, while the only childless alpha and omega pair darted back up the path for the lawn chairs and water toys, while the others alternated between keeping an eye on the four babies, and getting everything set up.

Yuuri, instead of helping, sat down in the dirt next to his girls who were all splayed out in so-cute-you-could-die baby swimsuits, while he blew up one of the inflatable toys he'd brought down. Yuri, who was holding onto Alvinia, smiled, and sat down next to his fellow omega.

“Can I help?” he asked, and Yuuri beamed as he handed over one of the toys—an inflatable ring with the head of a unicorn, which landed on his thigh just shy of where Alvinia had been resting between his legs.

“Knock yourself out,” Yuuri replied with a little smile. “If nothing else, we omegas know how to hold our breath.”

Yuri snorted as Viktor, who had paused his setting up to crack open a beer and take a sip, suddenly sprayed Phichit with it, who yelped in surprise.

“ _Yuuri!_ ” Viktor cried indignantly as the others howled with laughter, “you can't say stuff like that!”

“Why not? It's true,” Yuuri replied, just as Otabek slunk up behind Viktor and made a very crude gesture of oral sex with a pre-cooked sausage, and Yuri barked another laugh as Yuuri went from his usual fair complexion to a bright tomato-red. “ _Oh_. Oops.”

“Nice going, Mister Miyagi of Oral Sex,” Yuri said, and Otabek snorted while Yuuri buried his face in his hands, and Phichit threw off his shirt and opted to clean himself of beer and spittle by belly-flopping into the lake, much to the delight of the girls, who all shrieked and giggled at the huge wave that followed.

“I wasn't even _talking_ about sex,” Yuuri protested, his voice muffled through his hands, “I just...oh, never mind, just blow up the damn toy.”

Still chortling a little, Yuri went back to the deflated toy that was still resting across his thigh, and began to blow it up. Alvinia grabbed at it curiously, her little limbs not quite able to grip it as she let out little coos and grizzles past the pale pink dummy in her mouth. It was so endearing to watch that Yuri found it rather difficult to focus on blowing it up, and had to pause several times just to watch her, until Yuuri swatted his leg playfully and told him to get back to it.

As Yuri worked, a warm weight settled at his back, and he smiled inwardly as he leant back against his mate, and Otabek wrapped his arms around him as Yuri finished blowing up the toy and handed it back to the older omega.

“You look so cute,” Otabek murmured as he placed a kiss over his mating mark, making Yuri shiver, “sitting here with Alvinia, and being the perfect Mat` for her while you help Yuuri...”

“Stop,” Yuri said with a weak groan, “you're making me want to do things we can't do with an audience, or for another five weeks, for that matter...”

“Hmm, counting down, are you?” Otabek teased, and Yuri smirked.

“Oh, definitely,” He replied softly, “I can't _wait_ until we get the all-clear from the doctor...”

“Well, if you're interested, I may have found a loophole to those instructions, you know, if you're interested...”

“What sort of loophole?” Yuri asked curiously as he craned his neck a little to look back at him, and Otabek smirked devilishly.

“Well...”

“ _We can hear you_ ,” Viktor suddenly said in a sing-song whisper.

“ _Obviously we can hear you_ ,” Yuuri said in a similar tone to his mate, “ _you're like six inches away from us_.”

“Okay, Yuri, wanna leave Alvinia with her Prádyed, and we'll go for a swim...away from the eavesdropping duo?”

“Yes, let's go,” Yuri agreed as he carefully scooped his daughter up, while he ignored Viktor's indignant cry at Otabek's insult.

“Grandpa?” Yuri asked as he carried Alvinia over, smiling a bit as the older man looked up from his beer and the paperback in his hand, and smiled warmly at his grandson. “Erm...would you mind watching Alvinia while Beka and I go for a little swim?”

“Of course, Yuratchka,” Nikolai replied as he set aside his book and drink, and held out his arms for the baby. Yuri smiled as he passed his daughter over, and Nikolai mirrored the expression as he rocked the child in his arms, never once lifting his gaze as he added, “you and Otabek take all the time you need.”

“Great,” Yuri said, “let's g— _ahh!_ ” Yuri yelped as Otabek suddenly scooped him up bridal style, and with a manic grin plastered across his face, he began to run for the water's edge while Yuri screamed, “ _Beka, don't you dare! No, no, no—!_ ”

_Splash!_

Yuri surfaced, sputtering, to a chorus of laughter. Yuri shed his sodden T-shirt with a mock scowl upon his face while Otabek slowly approached him, the same silly grin tugging at his lips as he approached.

“You're an asshole,” Yuri said, smirking a little as he spoke.

“I love you too,” Otabek replied without missing a beat. Yuri laughed and threw his soaking shirt at Otabek's bare chest, which he tossed ashore before he took Yuri by the hand and began to lead him away from the prying eyes of their family.

“Where are we going?” Yuri asked as they drifted along, he happily letting Otabek do most of the work while the alpha chuckled and leant in to kiss him.

“You'll see,” Otabek replied with a small smile, “you're just such a screamer that I don't want to come back to an endless stream of innuendo...”

“You haven't even told me what this so-called _loophole_ is,” Yuri pointed out as they swam, “I mean, I'm not worried, it's just I don't wanna do something that could wind up with me in the hospital...”

“I checked it out, I promise,” Otabek said, “and I got the OK from the doctor, so I know for a _fact_ that this won't hurt you.”

The couple slowed to a stop in a little cove about five hundred metres away from the others, around a bend in the shoreline that gave them a little privacy. Distantly, Yuri could hear them playing around in the water, but he could no longer see them, which was a good sign.

Yuri turned in Otabek's arms as his feet found the sandy bottom of the lake, and he was submerged up to his waist, while Otabek was a scant few inches above him, smiling at Yuri warmly as he leant in for a tender kiss. Otabek's hands fell to Yuri's waist, and he squirmed a little in the embrace, enough that Otabek paused, pulled back, and eyed Yuri curiously.

“You okay?” he asked, and Yuri felt himself flush a little with embarrassment.

“Just not used to being touched like this...also I'm still all... _fat_ from the pregnancy...”

“Fat?” Otabek repeated, blinking bemusedly as he looked down at Yuri's gut, his sides marked with faint stretch marks, and to his dismay, he watched Otabek reach out and pinch his stomach, coming away with a three-quarter inch bulge of skin between his fingers.

“Don't pinch it!” Yuri cried, his face going an even deeper red as he tugged away from Otabek, who was laughing warmly.

“Sweetheart, you look _fine,_ ” Otabek said softly as he moved in to kiss Yuri. “You think I care about a little puppy fat? You were just _pregnant_ with our beautiful little girl. She's way more important than anything else—it's like birth marks, but so much more beautiful, because you got them carrying _her,_ and keeping her safe while you went through hell.”

Yuri had been prepared to respond with an angry retort, but Otabek's earnest words caused him to deflate, and he gazed up at his alpha with a warm smile.

“You always know what to say to make me not feel so shitty,” Yuri said, “how do you do that?”

“It's easy,” Otabek replied as he leant in to offer Yuri another kiss, and tugged him a little closer. “I love you, and I don't like you saying bad stuff about yourself. Plus, I think you're gorgeous no matter how much baby fat you have.”

“Even though being my mate I know you're obligated to lie to make me feel better, I like it when you call me gorgeous,” Yuri purred, a grin creeping at the corners of his mouth as Otabek's hands dropped lower, one cupping his ass while the other cupped his cock and balls, making him shiver.

“Well then, I have quite a treat for you, gorgeous,” Otabek replied as he began to massage Yuri's cock through his trunks, making him groan softly.

“Y-you still haven't told me what this loophole is...” Yuri said, his voice a little slurred from his arousal,  and Otabek smirked as he leant in for another kiss, tugged down the front of Yuri's trunks, and the omega shuddered when he felt a stiff, hot organ press against his own, just before Otabek closed his hand over both of them, creating a delicious, vice-like sensation.

“I'm waiting to see how long it takes you to figure it out,” Otabek purred against Yuri's lips, and the omega trembled as he thrust weakly into Otabek's hand as he clung to him, and Yuri tried to keep his shallow moans quiet to ensure that they weren't overheard by the others.

“Feels good...”

“Kiss me.”

Yuri obeyed, reaching up to cup Otabek's face with both hands as he kissed him, his hips rotating forward fluidly in time with Otabek's movements. The pair were panting hard into each other's mouths, not quite kissing as they were distracted by the delicious sensation of their cocks sliding together. Yuri trembled when Otabek brushed the tip of his thumb over their twin erections, and Yuri immediately buried his face in the hollow of Otabek's throat to stifle his cry as he orgasmed into the water.

Panting hard with the aftershocks of the mind-blowing orgasm he'd received from his mate, Yuri had not missed the fact that Otabek had not cum yet, and with a sly smile, he lowered his hand beneath the waves to still Otabek's movements. With another smirk he took a deep breath, and sank below the surface.

Yuri opened his eyes, and though Otabek was quite a bit more tan than he was, in contrast to the dark lake water, he looked almost alabaster. His erection was jutting out from the front of his body prominently with clear need, and still holding his breath, Yuri opened his mouth and closed it over the throbbing organ.

Immediately, he felt Otabek's body shudder, and muffled moan sounded from the surface. Yuri smiled inwardly as he swallowed more of Otabek's cock, stopping after a moment to briefly surface to breathe, and he was met with a lazy smile from his mate.

“I thought omegas were supposed to be _good_ at holding their breath?” Otabek remarked, “at least, that's what Yuuri said.”

“Clearly my lungs aren't as elastic as Mr and Mr Oral Sex,” Yuri shot back before he took another breath and went back to it, while he ignored Otabek's warm laughter.

Unfortunately, it seemed as though Yuri's lungs really _weren't_ well-adapted for submarine fellatio, and he surfaced again with a small gasp, his face flushed both from lack of oxygen and embarrassment, and  he straightened up to offer Otabek an apologetic kiss.

“Sorry, I was trying to be all sexy, but...”

“Wanna jerk me off instead?” Otabek filled in, “I don't find watching you drown on my cock very arousing, so...”

Yuri smiled sheepishly, and moved in for another kiss. Otabek chuckled as one of his hands fell to Yuri's back, while Yuri's hand moved to Otabek's cock, and wrapped around it gently, making the alpha shudder.

“Feel good?” Yuri purred, repeating his words from earlier, and Otabek nodded feebly.

“Y-yes...” Otabek replied softly, his voice quivering as his head tilted back, and let out a soft groan. Yuri got on his toes to kiss him again while he continued to stroke him, keeping him hard and aching, but not quite moving enough to get him off—not yet, anyway. 

“I love your cock,” Yuri continued in the same soft tone of voice as he ran his hand up Otabek's length again, and lightly squeezed the head. “It's so... _soft_ and _smooth..._ and so _thick_....I can hardly put my whole hand around it. When we get the all clear from the doctor, I want you to stuff me full of it and never ever stop...”

“Y-Yuri...” Otabek whimpered as Yuri continued to stroke him, “please...”

“Please what?” Yuri asked sweetly, his thumb brushing over Otabek's tip, causing him to tremble.

“Please let me cum...you're _torturing_ me.”

“Well...” Yuri trailed off, continuing to idly stroke his alpha as he got on his toes again for another kiss. “Only because you asked so nicely.”

Yuri picked up his pace, stroking Otabek rapidly as he squeezed harder and softer in all the right places, then with a shuddering moan, Otabek arched his back as he released into the water.

Otabek slumped forward, panting hard as he drew Yuri close, and he laughed as he guided his alpha over to a flat boulder jutting out into the lake, and pulled Otabek up onto it, while they both adjusted their swim trunks.

“That was good,” Yuri breathed as he leant against him, and he felt Otabek's warm breath brush his cheek as he chuckled softly, and wrapped his arm around Yuri's waist.

“Yeah, it was,” he agreed. “And with no ulterior motive this time around, how was it for you?”

“Nice,” Yuri said, “relaxing. I mean...” he paused a bit his lip.

“Yuri?” Otabek asked, “what is it?”

“I've never done something sexual like that...you know, just to do it, or just for the pleasure. I've always had to do it for some other reason. Doing it like this, even though it wasn't like... _full_ sex, it was nice. It makes me feel safe, knowing you won't push, but you'll make me feel good when it's done, and after...I don't feel sick, or ashamed, just...happy.”

“I love you, Yura,” Otabek replied without hesitation as he leant in to kiss Yuri gently. “I love you with all my heart. You're irreplaceable, and you complete me in a way that no one else ever could. I do not ever want you to feel obligated to do anything that you don't want to, so I am very glad that you enjoyed it.”

Yuri leant up for another kiss, one which Otabek happily returned, and the pair stayed there a while longer, holding each other and kissing, marvelling in the sweet simplicity of this love, and how perfect it could feel, doing everything and nothing all at once.

 

“We better be getting back,” Yuri said reluctantly about twenty minutes later, “we haven't been gone _that_ long, but I don't want the others to come looking...”

“All right,” Otabek agreed, and the pair slipped into the water, and lazily swam back towards home.

The first thing that came into view was Viktor, Yuuri, and Minami all in the water, each minding one of the triplets in a baby inner tube, they all squealing and slapping at the water happily, while their guardians laughed and chatted happily. Even at a distance, Yuri could see the way that Yuuri's abdomen had begun to distend, making his C-Section scar more prominent, and promising more children on the way. Yuri leant into Otabek's side, warm and content as they approached, pausing to greet the others and ignore their double entendres before Yuri hurried ashore to relieve his grandfather of Alvinia, who had just begun to fuss.

Yuri sat down and began to feed her, for the first time not caring that the others could see him doing it, while Otabek sat at his back. He bracketed Yuri's legs with his own while they watched the others play in the water; Phichit had run out to join them, and Yuri smiled as he watched Minami and Phichit share a kiss before they both turned their full attention back to Viktoria, whose inner tube Minami was holding onto almost too tightly to keep her from drifting away.

“I love that this is our life now,” Yuri said softly, and smiled when Otabek wrapped his arms around Yuri's waist, just below where he was holding Alvinia.

“For as long as you want it, Yura,” Otabek replied, and pressed a kiss to the top of his shoulder.

“Forever,” Yuri said without hesitation. “Is forever good?”

“Forever,” Otabek echoed, “works for me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Dóbroye ōtro – Good morning. Transliteration from Cyrillic is done by me, so if there's any mistakes, please let me know.


	41. Epilogue – Safe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: To say that this epilogue got away from me would be a massive understatement—it wound up being approximately three times as long as one of my usual chapters for this story. Whoops?
> 
> I just want to say here—thank you. This story has been in my life for nearly a full year, and the response to it has been nothing short of staggering. The comments, kudos, bookmarks, recommendations...in less than a year this story has surpassed practically every marker of my other stories, and I'm just amazed and humbled by the response. So thank you guys, so, so, so, so much for all of your support throughout the process of writing this, whether through chats on Tumblr, to comments, kudos, or bookmarks on here, it's been an amazing journey. Though I do plan to post the alternate story, Hold Me Close ~eventually~ (and maybe a short Phinami piece!) I do need a break from this 'verse for a bit, so chances are the next YOI fic that I pose will not be part of this universe, but something else, because my poor brain needs a break. If you want updates on what I'm doing or you wish to either send me an Ask or message, you can get in touch with me on tumblr on my Jbankai89 blog, or on Instagram via jibwritesandcooks.
> 
> Again, thank you, and I hope you guys enjoy the epilogue! ^.^
> 
> **Formatting Fixed 13/05/2018**

Epilogue – Safe

 

**Five Years Later**

 

“Mama!” a voice screamed, “Mama! Mama! Mama! Mama!”

A tiny blonde girl barrelled into Yuri's legs, nearly making him fall over, and he glared down at his second born.

“What is it, Helina?” he asked as he crouched down to scoop her up, and sniffling, she wrapped her little arms around his neck in something close to a chokehold. “No, really what's wrong?”

“Hana did it again!” she shrieked into Yuri's ear, and he groaned.

“Yuuri!” Yuri barked, and Yuuri came barrelling downstairs, his face white as he gazed at Yuri and his distraught daughter.

“What is it?” Yuuri asked, “we're sort of busy up there—” Yuuri broke off when Minami screamed, then added, “so this better be important.”

“I don't give a flying finger of fate if you're exorcising a demon or anything else,” Yuri snapped grumpily. “I'm playing _Mat`_ to six girls down here. Now, would you _please_ tell Hana to stop sitting on Helina and farting?”

“Oh, not again... _Hana!_ ” Yuuri shouted, “Hana get your little butt over here _now_!”

“ _I didn't do it!_ ” a muffled voice called out from the direction of the playroom, followed by the distinct patter of Hana rushing over to her mother, pigtails swinging, and her hazel eyes bright with mock innocence. “Whatever she said, she's a big fibber, Mama!”

“I did not fib!” Helina cried indignantly from her perch in Yuri's arms, “Hana is the fibber! She sat on me, and _farted!_ ”

“ _All right, that's it!_ ” Yuri shouted, just as four other faces peeked out at him from the playroom's door frame. “ _From this day forward,_ _no one is to fart in this household ever again! Am I making myself perfectly clear?_ ”

“Yes, Mat`,” Helina said.

“Yes, Dyédya,” Hana said at the same time.

Yuri set his youngest down, and she scurried off before he could say a word, with her cousin hot on her heels. Yuuri was standing next to him and smiling, while Yuri shook his head a little.

“I swear, I never sounded batshit crazy before I had that little demon. Alvinia was perfect, then I had... _her_.”

“Demon Child Number Two?” Yuuri asked innocently, and Yuri snorted.

“You can talk,” he retorted, and Yuuri smiled at him apologetically, before he quickly changed the subject. “How's Minami doing?”

“Nine, nearly ten centimetres,” Yuuri replied. “He's in a lot of pain, but Phichit and the midwife are helping. I think Phichit being all supportive and not moving from his side for sixteen hours is keeping him calm, so...less pain.”

“Have I missed any good lines?” Yuri asked with a small smirk, and Yuuri covered his mouth as he began to laugh.

“Well...no, not really. Mostly lots of crying, and _oh, it hurts, oh it hurts_ sort of thing. No swearing, you still hold that title.”

“Damn straight,” Yuri replied, making Yuuri laugh again, just as another cry sounded from upstairs.

“I better get back up there,” Yuuri said. “Are you good, or do you want Viktor to come down and give you a hand?”

“Beka should be home soon,” Yuri replied as he shook his head. “We'll swap out after he gets back.”

Yuuri nodded and headed back up, and at nearly the same moment Otabek burst through the door, stacks of pizza boxes balanced precariously in his arms, and from the playroom Yuri could hear a unified cry of, “ _pizza!_ ”

Makkachin lunged at the door with an excited bark, but luckily Yuri caught his collar, stopping the attack short as Otabek was swarmed with youngsters, who had circled the alpha and began chanting, “ _Pi-zza! Pi-zza! Pi-zza!”_ in an eerie sort of way, as though they were performing some sort of bizarre ritual.

“Hang on, hang on, girls!” Otabek cried as he led them all towards the kitchen and dining room combination. “I need plates, and someone needs to get the drinks and chicken wings out of the car—Alvinia?”

“Augh, Äke, why me?” she whined, and placed her hands on her hips as she pouted at her father.

“Okay, um, Yuriko, why don't you—” Yuri coughed pointedly, cutting Otabek off. Otabek turned to him, and Yuri raised his eyebrows pointedly. “No, wait, Avi, car. Get the drinks. You're a big girl now, and you can help. Yuriko can go with you.”

“Does it still means I hasta do it if Mat` made you say it?” she drawled, and Yuri snorted a little at her comeback.

“You heard what your Äke said,” Yuri added. “Go get the drinks before your cousins all die of starvation and thirst. We promise to save a cheese slice for you.”

Alvinia groaned again, and swept a strand of black hair from her eyes that had fallen out of her long braid as she sauntered towards the door with Yuriko following more quietly. The moment that they'd gone, Otabek and Yuri began to snicker as Yuri pulled down the plates, and Otabek organized the pizza boxes, with the cheese and pepperoni ones stacked on top.

“Oh, Yura,” Otabek said with another chuckle, “we are in _so_ much trouble when that girl hits puberty...”

“I wonder whose fault _that_ is,” Yuri shot back teasingly, while he offered Otabek a sly smirk, and set down the plates next to the boxes, and then went for the plastic sippy cups. “But, Beka, I _am_ proud of you for sticking to your guns today and not letting her have her way. I admit, we probably should've started earlier, but...”

“We've started, that's what counts,” Otabek added with a weak smile as he piled plastic knives and forks on top of the plates. “But it's still _so_ hard to say no to her...she's our baby, you know?”

“And about to start Kindergarten,” Yuri added with a sly grin. “I almost laughed when that woman said she wanted more diversity at her school, when in walks little Avi, with her alpha and omega parents, and speaking not one, not two, but _five_ fucking languages perfectly. I don't think I've ever seen someone go for the approval stamp so damn fast.”

“Little Avi and her _attitude_ ,” Otabek corrected, “I bet you twenty bucks that she becomes an actress or something, she's just got so much damn _sass_.”

“She got all her sass from _me_ ,” Yuri whined, “how come you never told _me_ I could be an actor?”

“Yuri!” Otabek protested, and his eyes widened with horror when Yuri's pout became much more pronounced. “Well, I just...and you're just...erm, what I mean to say is that—”

“Uh, Beka?”

“What?”

“I'm teasing.”

Otabek opened his mouth as he stared at Yuri, then closed it again. He opened and closed his mouth a few more times, before he finally said, “you're a terrible person, I'm running on three hours of sleep, and I'm not talking to you anymore.”

Yuri barked a laugh, then turned to the group of girls, all seated at the table and chattering away happily, and cupped his hands around his mouth as he called, “okay! Who wants what pizza?”

“Wait, _wait!_ ” Alvinia shrieked from the front door, “ _don't forget me!_ ” without another word, she raced into the kitchen, tripping over the threshold as she went, and toppled down with a yelp, spilling canned drinks everywhere, but thankfully, none of them opened.

“Oh, Zha`nym,” Otabek cooed as he rushed away from the counter and over to Alvinia, who was sitting up slowly, one of her knees reddened, and her bottom lip quivering.

“I fell,” she said, sniffling a little when she looked up at her father. “M-My knee hurts.”

“Oh, your poor knee,” Otabek said as he scooped her up and carried Alvinia over to one of the stools next to the breakfast nook. “Let's have a look...Yuri? Could you get those drinks?”

Yuri pursed his lips a little, but nodded as he scooped up the cans and set them aside, while out of the corner of his eye he watched Otabek fetch an ice pack from the freezer, wrapped it in a tea towel, and pressed it to Alvinia's reddened knee, while she continued to sniffle and rub at her eyes.

Deciding it best to _not_ lecture his child just yet, Yuri turned back to Yuriko, who had toddled in with the box of spicy chicken wings, pointedly walking carefully as though she was afraid of falling like Alvinia had.

“I have them,” Yuriko said in a rush and held out the box, and Yuri chuckled a little as he gazed down at the blue-eyed girl, her braids swinging and her cheeks flushed with shyness.

“What do you have, sweetheart?” Yuri asked, and her face went redder.

“The...the...chicken things.”

“Chicken _wings_.”

“Chicken wings,” she repeated, and beamed when Yuri offered her a small smile.

“Yeah,” she replied, her pigtails swinging. “Is Avi okay?”

“She's fine,” Yuri replied, “just a little bump. Her Äke is gonna fix her up.”

“Oh, good,” Yuriko smiled. “Avi runs a lot. She gets a-cited, and runs, and gets bumps that only Ağa can fix.”

“Yes, well, maybe this will teach her to not run with her arms full,” Yuri replied with the same smile as he took the wings from the girl, and set them on the counter with the pizza. “Can you do me a favour, Yuriko? It's a big girl job.”

“I'm a big girl!” she piped, and grinned. “I can do it, Dyédya!”

“Good, I know you can,” Yuri replied, and patted her head once, making her giggle. “I want you to go to the dining room and ask everyone what kind of pizza they want, and what drink. Can you do that for me?”

“That's a _big_ job, Dyédya!” she said, puffing her chest out importantly. “I can do it!”

“I know you can,” Yuri said with a chuckle, and gave her a small nudge. “Go on, go ask your siblings and cousin what they want.”

“'Kay!”

Without another word Yuriko darted out of the kitchen and headed for the dining room, at the same moment, Yuri spotted his own child trying to sneak back to the table with the others unnoticed, but froze when she caught sight of Yuri watching her.

“What have I told you about running in the house, missy?”

“That...it's cute?”

“Try again.”

“Sorry, Mat`,” Alvinia replied with a frown and distinctive puppy-dog look in her eyes, which had no effect on Yuri whatsoever.

“I have told you a hundred times— _no_ running in the house, especially when you're carrying stuff in your arms. No dessert tonight.”

“But, Mat`—!” Alvinia protested, whining audibly, but Yuri ignored it.

“ _No_ ,” he said. “You do not run in the house. Go sit down, we'll bring out the food in a moment.”

Hanging her head, Alvinia shuffled out of the kitchen, just as Yuriko hurried back in, her face still flushed with excitement from doing her _big girl job_.

“Viktoria, me, and Helina wants cheese, and ehbody else wants pepperonis and cheese,” she said proudly. “And...and, me, Viktoria, and Hana wants coke, and Helina wants root beer, and Antonia wants sprite.”

“Got it!” Otabek called proudly from the counter as he opened the boxes and plated the requested slices, while Yuri took the soft drinks to the sink and cracked them open, thankfully with minimal overflow before he transferred them to the sippy cups. They also plated a slice of cheese pizza for Alvinia, as well as a coke, and carried everything out to the table two by two, to a chorus of _thank you_ s from the girls—except Alvinia, who was still sulking.

Yuri stood by his daughter's side, his eyebrows raised and arms crossed. Her eyes seemed even more green than usual when glazed with tears, and though she could get virtually anything she wanted from Otabek in this state, she and Yuri _both_ knew that her Mat` was harder to break, and Yuri merely stood there, not saying a word, until Alvinia mumbled a sullen, “ _thank you, Mat`_ ,” before Yuri smiled, and stepped away.

“You want to trade with Viktor and Yuuri for a bit?” Yuri asked as he stepped back into the kitchen, where Otabek was pulling out the _Grown-Up Pizza—_ vegetarian for Phichit, meat lover's for Viktor, and all-dressed for everyone else—except Minami, who was a little busy at the moment. “Yuuri suggested it just before you got back, but I said we might go up after you got in. Minami's still got a bit of a way's to go—Yuri told me that Minami was at nine centimetres the last time it was checked.”

“How dilated does an omega have to be to give birth again?” Otabek asked as he cracked open one of the coke cans over the sink, then sipped at the foam quickly. “I remember Helina was eleven or twelve...”

“Alvinia was eleven, Helina was fourteen 'cause she had a really fat head,” Yuri said as he helped himself to one of the pizza slices. “It can be up to fifteen, so anywhere from one to five more hours, depending on how big the baby is.”

“That's not a wide divide at all,” Otabek said sarcastically, and Yuri chuckled as he nudged the alpha's shoulder. Otabek laughed as he grabbed the chicken wings and a sharpie, and began to scrawl something on the top of it, making Yuri eye him curiously.

“What're you doing?”

“Baby chicken wings,” Otabek explained as he held out the box for Yuri to see, which now read, _It's a,_ with a large blank space for _girl_ or _boy_. “Once Minami and Phichit have their kid, I'll fill in the rest, reheat them, and bring them up.”

“Minami's going to love that,” Yuri said as he chuckled, “honestly, maybe the baby is just one giant buffalo wing, that's literally all he's been eating for the last nine months.”

“Oh, but you forget that time that Phichit made him those cauliflower-sriracha buffalo things!” Otabek said, and Yuri snorted as he recalled the pandemonium that ensued after Minami had whipped the faux buffalo wings at his mate, and the catastrophe of Phichit getting some of the sriracha sauce in his eyes.

“Those two made Alvinia's pregnancy look like a _breeze,_ I swear,” Yuri said with another snicker. “It was just one drama after another after another after another...”

“And now they're ready to make our army of children an even seven.”

“Seven is an odd number, Beka.”

“Well, what would make it an even number—” Otabek began, but broke off with a laugh when he saw the scowl on Yuri's face. “Just teasing, Yura.”

“No more kids, Beka, I mean it,” Yuri said sternly, “two is _more_ than enough for me.”

“I know, really,” Otabek said as he swept in and offered Yuri a light kiss. “I'm sorry that I brought it up.”

“Do you actually _want_ more kids?” Yuri asked seriously as he glanced up at him, “seven is...a lot. And already it's pure, nonstop chaos in the house, and the one time we did the No Kids Camping Weekend for just you and me, we had to come home early because Yuuri called to tell us that Helina was having a fit, and kept screaming for us.”

“Seriously? No,” Otabek replied with a chuckle as he moved to stand at Yuri's back, and pressed his palms to the omega's flat stomach, making him shiver. “I just loved seeing you pregnant...I just find it so hot, and with Helina you were horny _all_ the time...”

“Maybe I should apply to be a surrogate,” Yuri teased, “rent out my uterus to people who need it...”

“And turn me into a jealous monster for flipping out at the idea of some other alpha's sperm inside you? _Hell no_ , Yura.”

“Then I think we need to be mature adults, and resist the urge to make more babies, even though it makes you all hot,” Yuri said as he got on his toes to peck Otabek's lips. “Come on, let's go check on the mother-to-be.”

Otabek smiled at him warmly as he nodded, and Yuri moved to perch the pizza boxes and chicken wings on top of the fridge and out of Makkachin's reach, while Otabek loaded himself up with plates of pizza slices, and Yuri grabbed the drinks—including Otabek's opened one—and they checked on the girls once before they headed upstairs.

 

“Shift change!” Yuri called as they reached the landing, and Yuuri and Viktor both poked their heads out of the room at the same time, and their faces brightened when they saw the load that they were carrying.

“Pizza!” Viktor cried cheerfully, and bounded forward to relieve Otabek of two of the plates, while Yuuri helped himself to two of the drinks.

“Careful,” Yuri warned with a vague smirk as Yuuri accepted the drinks. “Alvinia brought them in...and face-planted on the way into the kitchen.”

“Running again, was she?” Yuuri asked with a warm laugh. “That girl really doesn't lack for energy. Is she okay?”

“Fine,” Yuri replied, and shrugged. “Otabek freaked out, big shock—”

“—I can _hear_ you, Yuri—”

“—and iced it right away, so she's totally fine.”

“Well, that's good,” Yuuri said with a small, relieved smile. “Come on, Viktor, probably a good idea to not leave the girls alone too long...”

“Coming!”

Without another word, the pair turned and descended the stairs, and Yuri watched them go with an amused smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“Come on,” Yuri said to Otabek after they'd gone, “let's go see how Mama is doing.”

As if on cue, another whimpering cry sounded from Minami and Phichit's bedroom, and Yuri and Otabek made a beeline for it, poking their heads in to see Minami laying on his back, his face shiny with sweat, and Phichit at his side, with the midwife in between his open legs. Several towels had been laid out on the bed, and both of Minami's cheerleaders were coaxing him through the latest contraction, while tears streamed from the omega's eyes, intermingling with his sweat as they disappeared into his hair.

“I can't do this,” Minami whined, “I can't, it hurts too much...”

“Yes you can, love,” Phichit said as he kissed him and mopped his forehead. “Remember what you told me? You said to me that you wanted to have our baby in a place that you felt safe and comfortable, and you said that you wanted a home birth. I know it hurts, sweetheart, but it's _almost_ over. You can _do_ this. You're so strong—way stronger than me. And if you can put up with months of shit from a psychotic alpha, you can _totally_ do this.”

“But it hurts, it hurts, I can't—”

“Don't think about it,” Phichit said, “this is just a moment in time. In a little while, you'll be able to hold our child in your arms, and all the pain and uncomfortableness will be forgotten. You're stronger than this, love, just relax, and let your body do what it needs to do.”

“We got spicy buffalo wings for you when you finish?” Otabek offered, breaking up the dramatic scene, and Yuri buried his face in his free hand with a groan.

“What?” Otabek said, “what did I say?”

When Yuri looked back up, Otabek appeared confused and a little lost by the blank looks he was getting from Minami and Phichit. Yuri set down the drinks he had been holding, relieved Otabek of his pizza plates, and took his hands gently.

“My dear alpha, I beg you not to help me,” Yuri said sweetly, causing Phichit to snort.

“It's like I have a disease,” Otabek mumbled as they sat down at Minami's bedside, Yuri close enough to take Minami's hand, and the omega smiled at him weakly. “Every time there's an omega in labour around I just say the stupidest shit...”

“Using chicken wings as an incentive isn't nearly as bad as that time you panicked when I went into labour for Helina,” Yuri said dryly, and Otabek flushed at the memory. “As I recall, you ran out of the hospital room, came back with a bunch of balloons, and told me that you brought me flowers.”

“At least Avi liked them,” Otabek retorted teasingly, “she kept calling them baba-loons.” Yuri snorted a little at Otabek's words as he turned his attention back to Minami. At the same moment, he groaned as another contraction hit, and his hand tensed in Yuri's weakly.

“Ohh...” he whined and his head fell back on the pillow. “Phichit, it hurts...”

“It's okay, love,” Phichit said as he moved in to gently kiss his forehead, “you can do it, just breathe, that's it...”

As the contraction passed, the Midwife, who had been relatively quiet up to that point, straightened up, and she offered Minami a warm smile.

“Honey, I have good news, you are _almost_ done,” she said, her smile widening when Yuri, Phichit, and Otabek all gasped at once, having not anticipated this moment for a while longer. Before Yuri could ask if she meant what he _thought_ she meant, she added, “I see the head, so now's the time to start pushing. Are you ready?”

“I—I think so,” he replied as he nodded, his gaze swivelling from Phichit to Yuri as he spoke. “Yeah, I think I'm ready.”

“All right, hon, now, when I say push, I want you to bear down and _push_ as hard as you can, okay?” she said, and Minami nodded, though his eyes were bleary with both uncertainty and exhaustion. “And... _push!_ ”

Yuri, Phichit, and Otabek all echoed the midwife, crying “push, push, push, _push!_ ” at the same time, while Minami screwed his eyes shut, bowed his head forward, and pushed as hard as he could. When the contraction passed, he slumped down against his pillows with a sharp gasp, his chest heaving, while he continued to cling to Phichit and Yuri desperately.

“Great job, Minami, you're getting there!” the midwife said. “Are you ready for another?”

“No,” he replied with a whine, but he was smiling weakly, as though he knew that he had to push either way.

“Okay, come on, push, push, _push_! You can do it!”

Minami pushed again, this time accompanied by a scream, tears and sweat dripping from his chin as the first bit of white, viscera-coated flesh began to poke out from between Minami's spread legs, while he squeezed Yuri's hand so hard that his fingers began to go numb.

“Almost there, come on,” the midwife encouraged, “you have the head almost out, _push!_ ”

Minami screamed again, his face red, and Yuri, Phichit, and Otabek cried out joyfully as the baby made it the rest of the way out, and the midwife began to wipe it down as it let out a gurgling, raspy cry, its little eyes clenched shut, and Yuri and Otabek exchanged excited grins as the midwife handed the wrapped child to Minami, and held out a pair of specialized scissors to Phichit.

“Would you like to cut your son's cord?” she asked, and both Yuri and Otabek grinned as Phichit blinked back tears, and accepted the scissors.

“I have a son,” Phichit said weakly, his tone bordering on dumbstruck as he followed the midwife's instructions to cutting the cord, “I have...a son...”

“First boy,” Otabek whispered to Yuri to keep from ruining the moment, and Yuri smiled as he nodded.

The little baby boy was still crying as Minami held him and cooed at him, trying to settle him down, while the midwife pulled Phichit aside and murmured something to him, and he nodded a little as he sat down next to Minami and whispered something in his mate's ear. Minami's eyes widened, and he nodded as he asked, “how long do we have?”

“We better go soon,” Phichit said, “I don't want you to get an infection.”

“What's wrong?” Yuri interjected, “Minami, are you all right?”

“Apparently my boy ripped his way out of me, so we gotta go to the hospital and get me patched up,” Minami said, “I'm really tired, though...”

“If Phichit is okay with it, he can carry your son, and I can carry you to the car, you can borrow some of Yuri's maternity leggings, and we'll break out one of those doughnut cushions...”

“It's just a small tear,” the midwife added with a reassuring smile, “but I'm not qualified to suture, though, so a hospital would be best.”

“I'll go with them,” Otabek offered, “you can stay behind and tell everyone the good news.”

“The doctor may want to keep you on for a day or so for observation,” the midwife added, “so everyone can come visit you at the hospital a bit later, once you've had some rest.”

“Okay,” Minami said with a weary nod as he hugged his son close. The baby had finally calmed down, but was still a bit fussy as he lay curled in his mother's arms. “I wanted to stay home, but honestly, I'm too tired to argue.”

“I know, sweetheart,” Phichit said as he stroked Minami's hair, then leant in for a kiss. “But it's for the best, you know that.”

“I do,” he agreed with a weak smile.

 

Between Otabek and Yuri, they got Minami ready to leave, and Otabek carried him to the car, while Phichit stayed close with their infant son swaddled in his arms. They had been immediately swarmed by the other kids when they headed downstairs, but Viktor and Yuuri managed to keep them back as Phichit carefully put his newborn in the baby seat, while Otabek gently set Minami down next to it upon the doughnut-shaped cushion, then turned back to Yuri and offered him a quick kiss.

“I'll call as soon as you guys can come visit,” Otabek said as Phichit crawled in next to Minami, wrapping his arms protectively around his mate, while Otabek moved towards the driver's door.

“See that you do,” Yuri said with a wry smile, and leant up for another kiss. “Love you.”

“Love you too, Yura. Be back—”

“ _Wait!_ ” Phichit called, and both Yuri and Otabek whipped around in alarm, only to see Phichit smile at them apologetically. “Sorry. I just...you can tell everyone his name, please? We picked out names before he was born, and...his name is Aran.”

“Aran Chulanont,” Minami added with a weary smile, and Yuri laughed a little as he closed his hand around the edge of the door.

“I'll tell them, don't worry. Just worry about you and your perfect little boy, okay?”

“'Kay,” Minami said with a slightly dopey smile, and Yuri shut the door.

 

Yuri took a step back as Otabek started the car, and smiled warmly as he waved off his mate and the newest addition to their family.

“Mat`, what happened, _what happened_?” Alvinia demanded as she burst out of the front door and rushed forward. Yuri immediately scooped his daughter up, while Helina chased after her sister, and latched herself to Yuri's leg. “Where is Minami-oji going? Is he okay? Is it a baby? Dyédya Viktor said it was an _ostrich_.”

“Your Dyédya is a _big_ fibber,” Yuri said with a laugh as he set Alvinia down, and took her and Helina's hands, and led his daughters back inside. “They had a little boy, and they're calling him Aran. Minami-oji needed to go to the hospital because he got a little hurt, and they just need to make sure he's okay. Äke went with them to make sure that the doctors take good care of him and your new baby cousin.”

“Mama?” Helina asked around her thumb, which had been popped into her mouth.

“Yes?”

“What's an ozz...ozz...ozzwitch?”

“ _Ostrich_ , baby,” Yuri said with a chuckle as he shut the door and picked her up, supporting her with one arm while he continued to hold onto Alvinia's hand at the same time. “It's a really big bird that can't fly.”

“Is it bigger than Äke?”

“Much bigger.”

“Is it bigger than Dyédya Viktor?”

“ _Much_ bigger.”

“Is it bigger than _Pr_ _á_ _dyed?_ ”

“It's really, really big, dummy!” Alvinia said suddenly, and Yuri's eyes bulged, at the same moment that the girl at his side paled when she realized that she'd _massively_ fucked up.

“Where on Earth did you hear that word?” Yuri asked softly, and he saw his daughter visibly swallow.

“I don't know?”

“Try again.”

“Um...um...” Alvinia's eyes darted left and right, her little brain clearly trying desperately to come up with some sort of explanation, when Viktor entered the hall with Yuriko in his arms. At the same moment, Alvinia pointed at her uncle and screeched, “ _Dyédya Viktor did it!_ ”

“ _What?_ ” Viktor squawked, “no, I didn't!” He paused, and blinked. “Hang on, what didn't I do?”

“Do we have to have another _kids are sponges_ talk?” Yuri asked as he led the girls farther inside, then gently nudged them back towards the playroom where the other three were. They got the hint at once and scurried away quickly, while Viktor set Yuriko down, and she did the same. Once Yuri was certain that they were out of earshot, he turned his full attention back to Viktor. “Alvinia called her sister a dummy, and said that she heard it from you.”

“ _Viktor!_ ” Yuuri cried, apparently having heard the discussion, and strode into the hall to face off with his mate. “We've talked about this! I've only just gotten the trio to stop calling their little sister _buttmilk_.”

“I'm sorry!” Viktor whined, “I was talking to Pot—” Viktor broke off abruptly and glanced at Yuri, who raised his eyebrows expectantly. “Erm...I was talking to one of our animals and called them a dumbass, and Avi heard me so I told her to not use that word, and she asked if _dummy_ was okay...”

“And of course, being the brilliant parent that you are, you said _yes_ ,” Yuri filled in as he rolled his eyes, and Viktor flushed a deep red.

“Sorry,” Viktor mumbled. “She rushed off before I could correct her, you know how she is.”

“A neverending ball of energy, yeah, I know,” Yuri said, and snorted. “It's fine, just...try to curb your language around my kids. If I can resist dropping the F-Bomb, you can resist saying _dumbass_ , dumbass—oh, and if I catch you calling my cat a dumbass ever again, I will beat you to death with a shovel.”

“It never ceases to amaze me just how _kind_ and _warm_ you are, Yurio,” Viktor teased as Hana toddled into the entryway, her thumb popped into her mouth, and her plush bunny rabbit dragging along the floor. She stopped in front of Viktor and held up her arms in a silent bid to be picked up, and Viktor indulged her at once. “You all right, sweetie?”

“Avi said that the baby went to the hopital,” she said from her perch in her father's arms, “how come?”

“Minami-oji got a little boo-boo that they need to look at, that's all, my lovie. We'll go see them soon.”

“Is it really a birb, Otets?” Hana asked, “you said it was an hostawich, and Avi said that an hostawich is a birb.”

“No, not really,” Viktor replied with a warm chuckle, “it's a _boy_. Minami-oji and Leung Phichit are calling him Aran—what's wrong?”

Yuri pressed his lips together to keep himself from laughing at the sour look that crossed the little girl's face as she said sullenly, “boys never play right. Will he be an omega or apha?”

“We don't know yet,” Yuri filled in as Hana turned towards him just as Helina wandered out into the hall, much in the same fashion that Hana had, and tugged on Yuri's hand until he relented and scooped his daughter up. She wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head on Yuri's shoulder while he added, “they'll probably find out at the hospital.”

“I'm a bee!” Helina piped, and smiled proudly when Yuri laughed. “And you is an O.” Helina moved her little hand, presumably to poke the tip of Yuri's nose, but missed spectacularly shoved the digit as far up his nasal passage as it would go. Yuri yelped and pulled her hand away as she giggled, and he shook his head at his tiny terror with a wry smile.

 

~*~

 

“Ah, so Minami and Phichit had a little boy, did they?” Nikolai asked, and Yuri nodded into the camera. His grandfather looked well today, sitting up in his bed with a cardigan pulled on to stave off the autumn chill. “And what did they name him?”

“Aran,” Yuri replied. “It's Thai, I think. He looks so much like his _Mat`,_ but he has Phichit's hair. He's very cute. As soon as Minami's feeling up to it, we'll bring him and the kids in shifts to the home to visit you.”

“Bring them all at once, _synok_ , I am not so aged yet that I cannot handle a little chaos,” his grandfather replied with a chuckle. “I was seeing the doctors before you TimeFaced me, they found some of the feeling coming back to my left side, if this continues, they say I might be allowed to go home soon.”

“FaceTimed, Grandpa,” Yuri corrected with a laugh. “And did they? I must have missed their call, usually they let me know the second your condition changes.”

“It was only a little stroke, Yuratchka, I am fine—”

“A _massive cerebral event_ is not a _little_ stroke, Grandpa,” Yuri interrupted sternly, “I want you around for a long, long time, so you just make sure you focus more on getting well, and not rushing out of that place, all right?”

“Yes, yes, Yuratchka,” Nikolai replied with a warm chuckle, and Yuri shook his head a little as he smiled at his grandfather, hoping that despite his dismissive tone, he actually understood his condition better than he was letting on.

“Would you like to say hello to Helina and Alvinia?” Yuri asked, and Nikolai smiled, nodding his head a little.

Yuri mirrored his grandfather's expression as he got off his bed and went to the door, cracking it open as he called, “ _Alvinia! Helina! Come say hello to Pr_ _á_ _dyed!_ ”

He listened to the thundering of his girls racing up the stairs as he backed onto the bed and lay down, roughly two seconds before the girls leapt onto the bed with him, and poked their little heads into view of the camera, beaming at their great-grandfather.

“ _Pr_ _á_ _dyed, look!_ ” Helina piped as she held up her bandaged index finger.

“Oh, my! What happened to your little finger?” Nikolai asked with another chuckle, and Helina bounced excitedly in her seat at the attention from him.

“It got caught.”

“In what?”

“Avi's _teeth_.”

Yuri snorted as he eased back against the pillows upon his bed, one child on either side of him, chattering away with their great-grandfather happily, while they all waited for Otabek to get home from the hospital.

 

~*~

 

Four hours later, bordering on nearly eight o'clock, Otabek pulled back into the driveway, smiling with amusement at the pack of excited, chattering children who raced up to the stopped car, all demanding questions about Minami and the baby all at once.

“Minami-oji is fine, the baby is fine— _oof!_ ” Otabek grunted as Alvinia launched herself at him, and he hefted his daughter up as he added, “we can go visit them tomorrow, if you want.”

“But Ağa!” Antonia protested while she clung to his leg, “we wants to go now! I wanna see the baby!”

“I know, sweetheart,” Otabek said with a chuckle as he patted her head and slowly picked his way through the herd of children, making his way to the front door, where Yuri was waiting to offer him a kiss in greeting. “But it's late, it's almost bedtime, and Minami-oji needs to rest. Having a baby is a lot of work.”

“Damn straight it is,” Yuri muttered over the discomfited cries of the kids protesting _bedtime_ , and Otabek snorted softly.

“Come on, everyone,” Otabek called as he wrapped his free arm around Yuri, still holding Alvinia with the other, “some hot chocolate, then bed! The sooner you go to sleep, the sooner we can visit Minami-oji tomorrow!”

To Yuri's overwhelming shock, the proclamation was not met with more complaints, but instead all the kids zipped inside without another word.

Including Alvinia, who all but leapt from her father's arms and followed the others inside.

“How...how did you do that?” Yuri asked softly, a note of awe in his voice as Otabek laughed and leant in for another kiss.

“Black magic, mostly,” Otabek teased, and Yuri snorted as they headed inside to find all the girls seated politely around the dinner table, with Viktor and Yuuri in the kitchen, chatting happily and bringing two kettles to a boil while they filled up six heatproof sippy cups and kid-sized mugs with hot chocolate powder. Amusingly, Yuri noted that every time any of the girls began to talk, one of the others would hiss to silence them, and their mouths would immediately snap shut, as though they believed that they would not get to visit the baby if they made a sound. Yuri didn't mind this so much—it made a nice change from the usual chaos that preceded bedtime.

 

“Hot chocolate time!” Viktor called as he and Yuuri carried in the drinks for the girls, along with a plate of homemade cookies, and he began to dole out the treats to a resounding cheer, which made Viktor's smile broaden.

“I love this, you know,” Yuri murmured to Otabek as he watched Viktor and Yuuri hand out the before-bed sweets. “This whole family thing. I _love_ it. Even when I'm plotting the murder of our kids, I still...all this, it's so good.”

“I know that you do, baby,” Otabek replied softly as he pressed a kiss to Yuri's temple, and the omega turned to kiss his mate properly. “It's obvious how much you adore them, even when you want to kill them.”

“I can't wait to see Minami and Aran tomorrow,” Yuri said, “was he doing okay when you left?”

“Phichit never left his side, and Aran was nursing when I headed home,” Otabek replied. “Aside from when he was first born, he's a quiet baby. Phichit was bragging about it practically the whole time.”

“Compared to all the little demons we have running around here, I can't exactly blame him for bragging,” Yuri muttered, causing Otabek to snort softly.

 

That night, very much like Christmas Eve, all the kids were eager to go to bed, anxious as they were for the next day to come in order to meet the newest member of their family—especially Helina, who had belatedly realized that the addition of Aran meant that she was no longer the youngest.

“I'm not the baby anymore, am I?” she asked curiously as Yuri scooped her up and placed her into her bed, and she gathered her plush bear close to her chest as she stared up at her mother.

“No you're not, love,” Yuri said as he sat down on the edge of her ocean-themed comforter and petted her hair lightly. “How do you feel about that?”

“I dunno...Hana said ever-one ferdot about her when you had me. Will you fordet about me when the baby comes home?”

“You will _always_ be my baby, Helina,” Yuri murmured as he kissed her forehead. “No one could ever make me forget you.”

“I love you, Mama.”

“I love you too, baby.”

 

~*~

 

After story time and a final kiss goodnight, Yuri and Otabek switched rooms, with Otabek going to see Helina, and Yuri to Alvinia.

Alvinia was lying on her side under a comforter covered with dinosaurs, her plush cat Kisa in her arms, and she smiled a little when she saw her mother step inside.

“Hey, Trouble,” Yuri said teasingly as he moved over to her bed, and she giggled a little.

“Hi, Mat`,” she replied. “I'm not so tired yet, but I want tomorrow to come so I can hold the baby. Will tomorrow still come even if I never sleep?”

“Tomorrow always comes,” Yuri replied as he reached out to run his fingers through his daughter's dark, glossy hair, crimped and creased from the braid it had been in all day. “But you should probably try and sleep—when you don't, your body doesn't like it, and I don't think you want to feel all funky for when you see the baby tomorrow.”

“I'm the biggest big sister,” Alvinia said proudly, “I'm even biggerer than the triplets, even though they're oldest. I'll protect the baby from all the bad stuff, even if he's a boy.”

“I'm a boy,” Yuri pointed out, “and so is your Äke.”

“But you can't help it.”

“And the baby can?”

“Äke said babies is like...like Play-Dough.”

“They are, but that doesn't mean they can decide if they're a boy or a girl. It's just nature. Aran can't help that he was born that way—it's not his fault, so it wouldn't be fair to make him feel bad about it.”

“Then...how come Minami-oji and you and Yuuri-oji all feel bad?”

“Bad about what?”

“About being omegas,” Alvinia explained, “I hear you sometimes...you saying it's so bad to be an omega...or something. If you can't help it, how come you feel bad?”

_Out of the mouths of babes, I swear..._ Yuri thought with a soft chuckle as he leant in and kissed Alvinia's cheek.

“We'll talk about it later, all right? We've all had a busy day, and now you need to sleep.”

“D'you promise we'll talk about it later?”

“Yes, love, I promise.”

 

~*~

 

Yuri sat with Alvinia a while longer, then after checking her closet and under her bed for monsters, Yuri traipsed back downstairs where the others were all watching _Fried Green Tomatoes_. Yuri was happy to cuddle up with Otabek, who offered him a kiss before pulling him close and draping the checked blanket over both their legs. Neither Yuri nor Otabek said anything—after so many years, there was nothing that needed to be said, and they happily relaxed for one of the last peaceful evenings they were likely to have before the baby came home.

When the credits began to roll, Yuri reluctantly extricated himself from Otabek's warmth with a soft sigh as he said, “I think I'll head to bed, it's been a long day, and the kids are gonna be _wired_ tomorrow. Have we decided on what time we'll be going?”

“I thought around noon, but Phichit-kun promised to text me to let me know how Minami-kun's feeling tomorrow,” Yuuri replied from his spot on the sofa with Viktor, apparently quite content to stay put for the time being. Otabek, on the other hand, stood up, and Viktor eyed him incredulously.

“This isn't an office party, Otabek,” Viktor pointed out, “just because one person leaves doesn't mean we all have to.”

“And snuggling with my lovely, limber, and nubile mate beats making idle chitchat with you two any night of the week,” Otabek quipped. “Nighty night.”

“All these years and you're still so mean,” Yuuri whined as Yuri chuckled and reached for Otabek's hand.

“Which means he _must_ be my soulmate,” Yuri replied without missing a beat, causing the other couple to snort as he and and Otabek meandered towards the stairs.

The pair bond went through their nightly routines in relative silence, and after pulling on their pyjamas and sliding into bed—careful to not dislodge Potya, who was napping on the end—but instead of reaching for his book as was usual for Otabek these days, instead the alpha tugged Yuri close and kissed him gently.

“What was that for?” Yuri asked as he reached up to twine a lock of dark hair between his fingers. “Not that I mind, but...well, you usually only kiss me like that when you have bad news.”

“It's not exactly bad news,” Otabek hedged, “but my therapist keeps telling me to be as open and honest with you as possible, but I think it's something you might react to badly, which is understandable, so I thought I should tell you ahead of time...”

“Tell me _what,_ exactly? Just be clear and you'll know pretty quick if I'll react badly to it or not.”

“Well, while I was at the hospital...well, you see, the thing is...they tested Aran for his secondary sex status, and he's...he's an omega.”

“Oh, um...I see,” Yuri replied awkwardly, running a hand over his face as he took a breath and tried to process what he was feeling.

“Yura, this isn't Russia,” Otabek said firmly. “No one is going to take him away or hurt him. He's safe, you're safe, Yuuri is safe, and Minami is safe. None of you will be hurt for what you were born as.”

“I _know_ that,” Yuri said grumpily as he cast a glare towards his partner, “but he'll _still_ be treated differently for what he is, and we can't...we can't change it.”

“But you can prepare him, and protect him,” Otabek said as he began to gently stroke Yuri's hair. “That kid will have not one, but _three_ omega mothers who can tell him how to keep himself safe. I can't imagine an omega child growing up in a more accepting and loving home than this one. No matter what happens, I know that he'll be safe and loved.”

Yuri sighed as he pressed his cheek to the side of Otabek's chest. As an alpha, he wouldn't be able to understand the terror that Yuri now felt at the prospect of the little boy that would grow up in such a world that did not want him, save for his procreation abilities.

Otabek ran a hand down Yuri's back in a vain attempt to comfort him. Otabek would never be able to understand why Yuri was so deeply affected by this news, and why Minami and Yuuri, by extension, would feel it too.

Yuri tried to sleep, but rest did not come for a long time.

 

~*~

 

The following morning was so chaotic that Yuri had little time to dwell on the news that Otabek had given him the previous night. It was filled with morning baths, the braiding or styling of hair, toast and eggs, orange juice in sippy cups, and a general excitement, for _today_ the kids got to meet their new baby cousin.

With coffees in hand, the four adults loaded the kids into the van and drove off, stopping at a doughnut shop (much to the kids' excitement) on the way, to pick up some celebratory treats for Phichit and Minami.

“None until we get to the hospital,” Yuri said sternly, and the kids all let out a collective groan.

“You're no fun anymore, Dyédya,” said Viktoria.

“Can't we just...share one little one now?” asked Antonia.

“ _Burma!_ ” screamed Hana suddenly, and all heads swivelled towards the four-year-old.

“Why'd you say Burma?” Yuri asked bemusedly.

“I don't know.”

From the front seat, both Yuuri and Viktor snorted, causing Hana to grin wildly as they headed for the hospital, all of the kids still trying to convince Yuri to let them have a doughnut, but the omega wouldn't budge, much to the dismay of the children.

The family made it to the hospital without further issue, and as they stepped inside, Yuri holding onto Alvinia and Helina's hands, Otabek supporting the box of doughnuts and spicy buffalo wings (the box of which now read, _it's a boy!_ ) and Viktor and Yuuri holding onto two kids each, they all ran into a familiar face.

“Hi, Doctor Boobie!” Alvinia chirped at the sight of her, and the Pediatrician's face turned a blotchy red as the adults just barely managed to hold in their snickers.

“That's Doctor _Rudy_ , Avi,” Otabek said, and the woman smiled weakly as Alvinia continued to grin, and threw out her free arm for the doctor to see.

“Look, _look_! See? All better!”

“Yes, I can see that,” the doctor said with a small smile. “No more broken bones for you, right?”

“Uh huh,” she replied. “We're going to see Leung Phichit and Minami-oji today. He had his baby yesterday!”

“Oh, how exciting,” she said warmly, “are you going to be a good big sister to the baby?”

“Uh huh. He's a boy, but Mat` says he doesn't mean to be, so I'll be good.”

“There's a good girl,” she said, while Yuri offered her an apologetic smile, and the doctor shook her head dismissively while they parted ways. It hadn't been the first time Alvinia had called her _Doctor Boobie,_ after all.

 

“Who wants to push the elevator buttons?” Viktor asked as they slowed to a stop in front of the hallway filled with four elevators, and predictably all the kids began shouting at once. “Quiet, quiet! Hospital Zone, no shouting!”

“Otets?” Hana asked.

“Yes, love?”

“Whas a Hopital Zoom?”

“It means you have to be quiet, because people come here to get better, and they can't if you make lots of noise.”

“Oh, okay.”

“So, let's pick some elevator pushers scientifically,” Viktor continued as though there had been no interruption, and he raised his hand, booping Alvinia on the nose, making her giggle.

“Dip, dip, dip,” he began, pointing at a different child every time he spoke, “my little ship, sails on the ocean, you are— _it_ ,” as he finished the rhyme, his finger fell on Helina, who began to grin. “Okay, Helina, you can push the button!”

“Yaaaay!” Helina cried, and Yuri chuckled as he picked her up, and she smacked the UP elevator button as hard as she possibly could.

Inside the elevator, Viktor repeated the _very scientific child-picking method_ , and Viktoria got to select the Maternity Ward's floor, though she pressed the button much more gently than Helina had. The girls all let out tiny squeaks of excitement when the elevator doors let out a soft _ding_ before they slid shut.

 

Curiously, after Viktor's _Hospital Zone_ talk, all the kids managed to keep relatively quiet—that is, until they made it to Minami's recovery room.

Minami was sitting up with little Aran in his arms, still looking exhausted, but more relaxed than yesterday. The girls each let out their own excited squeal, and at the same moment, Phichit pressed a finger to his lips.

“The baby is sleeping,” he said softly, “so you have to stay quiet, okay?”

The girls' mouths all snapped shut as they nodded, while Viktor began to push chairs closer to Minami, and Phichit motioned for the children to come forward, and they all sat on the edges of the bed, looking in on the sleeping baby curiously.

“How come his face is all squishy?” Helina asked, her brow pinched with curiosity as she gazed at the infant.

“He's a new baby,” Minami replied softly, “as he gets older, his face will get less squishy. All new babies look like this.”

“Mama?” Helina turned to where Yuri had sat down, “did I look squishy?”

“The squishiest,” Yuri replied with a chuckle, and her little face brightened as he turned back to look at the baby.

“Helina?” Minami asked, “do you want to hold him?”

“Oh, I don't—” Otabek began, but Minami shook his head a little.

“She's a big girl, I'm sure she can do it.”

“Watch his head, just in case,” Yuri warned while Helina nodded excitedly, and Viktor hastily got his phone out to snap a picture.

Minami nodded, and turned to the three-year-old. He held out the baby, and gently instructed her on how to hold him and support his head, and Helina beamed when Minami said, “good!” as she held him in her arms.

“I can...I could be the one to take care of him sometimes,” she said hopefully as she gazed up at Minami, “like when you need to have a nap?”

“Of course you can, Helina,” Minami said warmly, and Helina grinned again.

 

The first (and more precarious) round of Pass the Baby began, with each of the children getting a turn to hold Aran. It was going rather well, at least until the baby got to Hana, who instead of passing the baby to someone else, promptly proclaimed, “I'm done!” as she dropped him in her lap.

With a small yelp, Minami scooped Aran back up, but the baby—thankfully—had managed to survive the ordeal. After that, peace once more descended upon the group.

That was, until Alvinia got her turn, and Aran promptly began to cry.

“He _hates_ me!” Alvinia cried dramatically as the other girls giggled, and Minami reached out to take the baby back, and Alvinia promptly crawled into Yuri's lap with tears in her eyes.

“He doesn't hate you, baby,” Yuri said as he rubbed her back consolingly, “he's probably just hungry, or has a wet diaper. A crying baby doesn't mean he hates you.”

“He's hungry,” Minami filled in as Alvinia continued to sniffle, and both mother and child looked up to see Minami holding Aran to his chest and smiling at her. “He doesn't hate you, sweetheart. Once he's finished eating, you can try holding him again.”

Alvinia nodded, but it seemed as though she was reluctant to try again. Yuri held onto her and continued to rub her back, but she still looked positively devastated for making the newborn cry.

 

“Okay, Avi,” Minami said as he finished feeding and burping the baby, “wanna try again?”

Still sniffling a little, she nodded, but would not move from her mother's lap. Minami tried to shift closer, but hissed in pain. Alvinia's eyes widened, but before she could say a word, Phichit swept in and took to the task of transporting baby Aran from Minami to Alvinia. This time he did not cry, but let out a tiny gurgle of contentment as Alvinia held him carefully, her eyes wide with awe.

“He's so little, Mat`,” Alvinia said softly, while Yuri reached out to touch the baby's chubby cheek. “Was I this little when I was a baby?”

“Littler,” Yuri replied with a warm chuckle, and offered his daughter a little squeeze, making her giggle. “You were always my perfect little girl, just as Aran is Minami and Phichit's perfect little boy.”

“Am I perfect too, Mama?” Helina asked, and both Yuri and Otabek laughed out loud.

“Yes, baby, you're perfect too.”

“D'you want a turn with the baby, Mat`?” Alvinia asked softly, “you haven't had a turn yet.”

“I'd love a turn,” Yuri replied, and held out his arms, chuckling a little as Alvinia instructed him on how to hold the infant, and he followed her every direction diligently before the little mother hen finally handed Aran over, and Yuri gazed down at the little baby omega in his arms with a bittersweet smile.

“Hello there,” Yuri whispered as he felt his voice catch, and he supported the infant in one arm while he wiped his eyes with his free hand. He felt Otabek step up behind him, and he rubbed his back while Yuri rocked the baby gently. “You have such a great life ahead of you, little one...so many people who love you, and in a place where you'll never be hated, or imprisoned, or hurt for what you are. You're safe. And though I still worry for you, I know that you'll be loved and supported no matter what, because we all love you, and...you'll never have to be afraid to be yourself.”

Otabek kissed Yuri's cheek from behind as he held the baby, still rocking Aran gently.

“That's good advice,” Otabek murmured as he wrapped an arm around Yuri and rested his head on his omega's shoulder as he gazed down at the infant. “He'll be loved and kept safe, no matter what.”

“I used to feel like safety wasn't real,” Yuri murmured, softly enough that the children nearby weren't likely to hear. “It was just...lies we tell ourselves so that we don't feel so scared all the time, but that's not true, is it? We really _are_ safe.”

“We are,” Otabek replied as he shifted, one hand moving to Yuri's chin, and he coaxed his head up until their lips met in a gentle kiss. “And we always will be.”

 

The End

 


End file.
